Qatar Masters Open 2024 champion Andrey Esipenko poses with the winner's trophy next to Qatar Chess Association President Mohammed Al Mudahka (right).
Doha: Russian GM Andrey Esipenko held his nerve against pre-tournament favourite and World No.4 ranked Arjun Erigaisi of India, securing a draw in the decisive final round to clinch the Qatar Masters Open 2024 title at Aspire Zone Hall yesterday.
Following nine thrilling rounds of the prestigious event, the 22-year-old Esipenko topped the standings scoring 7.5 points to claim the top prize as India’s Erigaisi finished in second spot with seven points.
World No.6 Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan settled for a third place.
Esipenko expressed his delight at winning the title, calling the victory a milestone in his career.
“It wasn’t easy, especially against such strong competitors. I’m grateful to everyone who supported me,” Esipenko said.
Esipenko, unbeaten in Doha this time, won against India’s CM Yash Bharadia, Egypt’s GM Adham Fawzy, India’s GM Surya Shekhar Ganguly, India’s GM Rithvik R Raja, UAE’s GM Saleh Abdulrahman Salem and Armania’s GM Shant Sargsyan. He shared points with Bulgarian GM Arkadij Naiditsch and Iran’s GM Bardiya Daneshvar before drawing with Erigaisi yesterday.
Top seed Erigaisi, even though he had enjoyed a commendable performance throughout the tournament, fell half a point short despite being unbeaten.
“I aimed to break the tie in the decisive game but fell short in the critical moves,” a disappointed Erigaisi, who recently became only the second Indian to break 2800 points after five-time world champion GM Viswanathan Anand, said.
Meanwhile, last year’s Qatar Masters Open runner-up Abdusattorov delivered a strong win against India’s 14th seed Leon Luke Mendonca on Board 2, also reaching 7 points. However, tiebreak scores placed him third in the final standings.
On Board 3, Armenia’s Sargsyan drew with Salem as both players concluded the tournament with 6.5 points each, while the Emirati finished as the highest-placed Arab participant.
Murali Karthikeyan of India also elevated his total to 6.5 points following his win over Uzbekistan’s Shamsiddin Vokhidov.
Defending champion Nodirbek Yakubboev was held to a draw by fellow Uzbek Abdimalik Abdusalimov, finishing with 5.5 points which placed him in the 18th spot after a disappointing run in this year’s tournament.
Qatar’s IM Hussein Aziz concluded his campaign with 3.5 points, finishing in 110th place. He lost to China’s 51st seed Chen Zou in the final round.
The Qatar Masters Open 2024 attracted over 300 players from 25 countries, including 50 Grandmasters, competing under a 9-round Swiss system.
Qatar Chess Association President Mohammed Al Mudahka lauded the success of the tournament, emphasising the high-quality organisation and competitive spirit of the event.
“The championship lived up to its promise, with surprises and intense battles across all rounds,” Al Mudahka said.
He also highlighted the valuable experience gained by Qatari players in the Qatar Masters Open B Tournament which was run in parallel to the main event.
Libya’s Yousef Alhassadi clinched the B Tournament title with a remarkable eight-point score from seven wins and two draws.
Khaled Al Jamaat, 30th, was the top finisher among Qatari players after his raised his points to 5.5 with a win over India’s Saravanan Advaith in the final round.
Mohamad Firdaus Erfan finished in 50th place with five points, while Hamad Al Kuwari was 62nd with 4.5 points. Abdulrahman Al Atas also collected 4.5 points and finished in the 74th position.
