Easy for defending champion Wang Hao
sharjah — Defending champion GM Wang Hao of China and favoured Grandmasters won as expected in the opening round of the 2nd Sharjah Masters Chess Championship at the Sharjah Chess Club in Sharjah.
Wang crushed the Caro Kann defence of Nehad Nyaz of Egypt in 30 moves. The Chinese GM is the defending champion. He won the inaugural event last year in a tie with local hero GM Salem AR Saleh of the UAE and four others when Wang prevailed in the tie break.
Other top GMs who won the first round are Yuriy Kryvoruchko, Pavel Eljanov and Martyn Kravtsiv of Ukraine, Vlsdislav Artemiev and Ernesto Inarkiev of Russia, Arkadiuj Naditsch and Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan, Gawain Jones of England, Vladislav Kovalev of Belarus, S.P. Sethuraman, B. Adhiban and S.L. Narayanan of India, Adly Ahmed of Egypt, Parham Maghsoodloo and Pouria Darini of Iran, Rinat Jumabayev of Kazakhstan, Manuel Petrosyan of Armenia and Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan.
However, lowly rated (1957) Indian amateur Priyanka Nutakki, 16, upset GM Mohamed Hadouche of Algeria, rated 2506, in a marathon 89 moves of a Guioco Piano game to join the lead pack of 60 players.
A total of 118 players from 26 countries are seeing action including 31 Grandmasters and 14 International Masters, 2 Woman Grandmasters, 3 Woman International Masters and 10 FIDE Masters.
Over $57,000 in cash prizes, with a top prize of $15,000, are at stake in the 9-round tournament.
Games are scheduled 5:30pm daily except for Saturday when two rounds are scheduled for 10am and 6 pm.
Last round starts at 3pm followed by the closing ceremony. Top games are broadcast live. Visit the official web site at http://shjchessmasters.com/ and chessresults.com for full results and standings.