Dubai open

[MJMcCready]

How many contestants are there for the Dubai Open?

[NickFaulks]

188 today. Looks like one of them overslept this morning on board 8.

[LawrenceCooper]

188 today. Looks like one of them overslept this morning on board 8.

Being ground down by Sargissian obviously not reason enough to get up early

[Paul Dargan]

Double round today ... some might have forgotten that ... 10 am start not ideal when people got back from the Blitz for dinner at 11pm on the bus.

Paul

[MJMcCready]

188 today. Looks like one of them overslept this morning on board 8.

Being ground down by Sargissian obviously not reason enough to get up early

So here's my question (and btw I know you can't answer it but please try) why are there so few entrants given the prize money. I know of another tournament taking place right now with a fraction of the prize money on offer yet the number of entrants is almost treble that AND MORE IMPORTANTLY a large number of them are loyal to the tournament because they enjoy itand care not about what is on offer.

[MJMcCready]

Okay, out of kindness I'll tell you the answer. But before I do, I must add context, I have worked in the Gulf, and the UAE before, or many years in fact. All they have is money. They think 'let's just throw money at people and then they will come but it's not quite like that. Some of us enjoy a tournament which has continuity and a strong social element.

Dubai chess club, like so many others in that region is a soulless place. Their tournaments are about come take our money and only that. There is no other aspect to it.

The Thai Open offers arguably the lowest first prize on the planet for a recognized international tournament. The Dubai open even planned to move its dates completely because it couldn't compete but no one cares about what little money is on offer the spirit of the tournament means that everyone is happy to play. At the Thai Open everything is done properly and unlike the UAE, you can have a nice holiday after your tournament too.

AND if you play in Dubai or that godforsaken Al-Ain tournament with its skeletal staff
the organizers don't care who you are unless you are 2600 plus. Otherwise they will look down on you and reluctantly help if you ever need it if you are lucky. The will also do as little as possible such as controlling kids running about and people using phones. LIke I said go to the gulf to get money only, then move on like everyone else does. I suggest you think of playing in a tournament that has more to offer than just money itself and enjoy life.

[IM Jack Rudd]

LIke I said go to the gulf to get money only, don't go there for any other reason unless you are autistic or something.

Hmmmmmm.

[NickFaulks]

Not ignoring MJM, who makes a very interesting point, but back to the extraordinary game on top board. Why didn't 17.Qd4 win? It's not a move anyone would miss, so the players must have seen something suspicious about it.

[Roger de Coverly]

Why didn't 17.Qd4 win? It's not a move anyone would miss, so the players must have seen something suspicious about it.

Assuming this is the Howell - Akopian game, the Stockfish at chessbomb agrees that Qd4 is best. The resulting suggested line is a bit messy with the King wandering about, but so is the actual game.

(edit) As we aren't watching an Agon tournament, this is the game so far

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 a6 4. e3 Be7 5. b3 O-O 6. Bb2 c5 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. d4 cxd4 9. Nxd4 d5 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. e4 Bb4 13. exd5 exd5 14. a3 Re8+ 15. Be2 Bxc3+ 16. Bxc3 Bh3 17. Qd3 Qe7 18. Ra2 c5 19. Kd1 Qb7 20. Re1 Qxb3+ 21. Qc2 Qb7 22. Rb2 Qd7 23. Bd2 c4 24. Bf3 Be6 25. Bf4 *

With an engine suggested line after 17 Qd4

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 a6 4. e3 Be7 5. b3 O-O 6. Bb2 c5 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. d4 cxd4 9. Nxd4 d5 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. e4 Bb4 13. exd5 exd5 14. a3 Re8+ 15. Be2 Bxc3+ 16. Bxc3 Bh3 17. Qd4 f6 18. Kd1 Qd7 19. Re1 Re4 20. Qd2 c5 21. Kc2 Bf5 22. Bd3 Rxe1 23. Rxe1 d4

(/edit)

[NickFaulks]

Both players now on increment, so we have entered random shambles mode.

[NickFaulks]

Assuming this is the Howell - Akopian game

Yes, that is the game I referenced on top board. That quibble aside, thanks for the analysis - I think this game will be worthy of study by anyone who likes to give a piece away for a bit of fun, or who faces opponents of that ilk.

[NickFaulks]

A serious question for any IMs here. Would you give consideration to 12...Bb4, and would you be worried if your opponent played it? I'm ruling out any possibility that it's preparation, which would obviously worry anybody.

[NickFaulks]

Both players now on increment, so we have entered random shambles mode.

And so it proved. Black wins, although since the white king happened to end up on e4 the result is naturally misreported as a draw. Often Howell performs well in this nonsense, but not this morning.

[NickFaulks]

With an engine suggested line after 17 Qd4

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 a6 4. e3 Be7 5. b3 O-O 6. Bb2 c5 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. d4 cxd4 9. Nxd4 d5 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. e4 Bb4 13. exd5 exd5 14. a3 Re8+ 15. Be2 Bxc3+ 16. Bxc3 Bh3 17. Qd4 f6 18. Kd1 Qd7 19. Re1 Re4 20. Qd2 c5 21. Kc2 Bf5 22. Bd3 Rxe1 23. Rxe1 d4

What has Black got in the final position? To me he's just a piece down.

[Roger de Coverly]

I'm ruling out any possibility that it's preparation, which would obviously worry anybody.

Whilst none of the moves before Bb4 are particularly outlandish, they have been on original territory as far as previously played games are concerned since around move 5. David Howell does have this characteristic style of leaving his king in the centre, most non-GMs would tidy up their position with Bg2 and O-O before starting central action with e4.