Chess

IN 2004, an unlikely contender on Dubai's architectural scene came up with outlandish plans for a proposed Chess City: Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the president of the small southwest Russian republic of Kalmykia, and also president of Fide, the governing body of chess.

The development, to be flanked by 32 buildings, each one shaped like a single chess piece, was going to cost $2.6 billion (1.43bn). The visionary behind the project, Mr Ilyumzhinov, claimed at the time that "Dubai could play host to more than 60 million amateur and professional chess followers from around the world".

It was dubbed "Kirsan's folly", and thankfully never got approved by planners in Dubai. It drifted into obscurity by 2005 – but Dubai did continue to raise its chess profile with increased funding for grandmaster chess training for players in the UAE, and in the continued growth and development of their marquee event, the Dubai International Open.

The 12th edition of the Dubai International Open ended on Wednesday and featured a strong cosmopolitan lineup of grandmasters, headed by top seeds Gabriel Sargissian (Armenia), Vladimir Baklan (Ukraine) and Parimajan Negi (India).

Eight grandmasters finished on 7/9, with young Venezuelan Eduardo Iturrizaga taking first place and the Sheikh Rashed Bin Hamdan Al Mactoum Cup on tie-break, thanks to his penultimate round victory over Negi.

P Negi – E Iturrizaga

12th Dubai Open, (8)

Sicilian Defence, Taimanov variation

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 5 Nc3 Qc7 6 Be3 a6 7 Qd2 Nf6 8 0–0–0 Be7 9 f3 h5 10 Kb1 Ne5 11 Qe1 b5 12 f4 Nc4 13 Bxc4 bxc4 14 e5 Ng4 15 Bc1 Bb7 16 h3 Nh6 17 Qe2 Rb8 18 Ka1 h4 19 Ne4 Bd5 20 Rhe1 Qb7 21 Nd6+ Bxd6 22 exd6 0–0 23 c3 Rfc8 24 Qf2 Be4 25 Qxh4 Nf5 26 Nxf5 exf5 27 Qf2 Qc6 28 g4 Rb5! 29 gxf5 Ra5 30 a3 Rb8 31 Be3 Rb3 32 Bc5 Rab5 33 Bd4 f6 34 Bxf6 Ra5 35 Rd2 Qb7 36 Rc2 gxf6 37 Qg1+ Kf8 38 Rxe4 Qxe4 39 Rg2 Rbxa3+ 40 bxa3 Rxa3+ 41 Ra2 Rxa2+ 42 Kxa2 Qc2+ 43 Ka1 Qxc3+ 44 Kb1 Qb3+ 45 Kc1 c3 46 Qg2 Qa3+ 47 Kb1 Qxd6 48 Qg6 Qd1+ 49 Ka2 Qa4+ 0–1