The Cuban Grandmaster, champion of the Caribbean and Central American Games in rapid games in 2023, two-time national champion in 2019 and 2020, has an impressive resume, full of prestigious titles. In 2024, he further consolidated his position by achieving runner-up in the elite super tournament of the Memorial Capablanca, one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world.

In addition to defending the victory obtained last year in Figueira da Foz, the Cuban master represents one of the countries with the greatest tradition in chess, honoring the legacy of Raúl Capablanca, one of the greatest champions of all time.

We continue to mark the history of national chess.

In this 2024 edition, we have around one hundred players, representing 20 countries, and an extraordinary group of national and foreign players.

With a record number of monetary prizes awarded, we hope to match the best open ever. Follow our tournament day by day. In a sport where women and men of all ages play as “equals”, follow some of the great names in world chess.

Portugal and Figueira da Foz on the world chess map!

The Cuban GM, Carlos Albornoz, who is part of the Cuban national team, and some of the most highly rated players present wins in an absolutely exciting last round. Albornoz, who faced the then leader of the Indian MI Chintagunta Reddy in black, who only needed a draw to win the tournament and make the GM standard. Albornoz from the beginning of the match demonstrated that he was going to play aggressively, exploiting some restraint from the Indian player who knew that a draw would be enough for him. The match, which was the last to end on the day and which decided the throne, had a very high level ending from the 22-year-old Cuban who thus lived up to all the expectations that fell on him and for his future. The young Cuban GM thus wins the strongest, most awarded and most prestigious Tournament ever in the history of Chess in Portugal and helps to write a golden page in the history of chess in Figueira da Foz.

Indian IM Babu Lalit completed the podium

and Indian IM Chintagunta Reddy,

Indian players were in fact the main protagonists and placed 6 players in the top 12 classified.

French GM Nino Maizuradze was the best classified among women, followed by Polish WMI Alexandra Lach

and also Polish WGM Julia Antolak.

 

The child prodigy Arkhila Charvi obtained an incredible 5 points out of 9 and an extraordinary 39th position.

Spanish Mi Hector Cardenas was the best among the veterans

followed by the Canadian GM, the champion Kevin Spraggett and the Bulgarian GM Vladimir Petkov.

MI André Sousa, two times absolute national champion, was the best Portuguese in 34th position.

By defeating the Polish MI Radoslaw Baski and benefiting from the draw of the remaining candidates, Cintagunta Reddy isolates himself in command of the competition and is also very close to achieving a GM standard. In other years, the Figueirense tournament allowed the achievement of international standards and titles, as was the case of the Serbian Dragan Paunovic who achieved his GM title here in Figueira da Foz. Surprising was the defeat of the most rated player in the tournament and by two times champion of this open, GM Karen Gregoryan. The Armenian GM will have forced to win against Khazar Urazayev Arystanbek and that will have been fatal for the aspirations of this super champion. Two of the main favorites are not yet out, Eltaj Safarli from Azerbaijan and Carlos Albornoz from Cuba, respectively numbers 2 and 3 in the tournament, are half a point off first place and still maintain legitimate aspirations for victory. In today's session, at table 1, Eltaj Safarli plays white against Chintagunta Reddy.

3 Indian players in the top 10, says well the strength of the Indian players present at the Figueirense open this year.

GM Nino Maizuradze, several times champion of France, is now the best female. Indian prodigy Arkhila Charvi now has an impressive 4 points out of 8 and is currently in 44th position.

Vuppalla Prranneed withstands the first big clash and gives up just half a point, continuing, at the moment, to lead the classification, although now on equal points with 4 other players. Some of the theoretically strongest players finally prevailed and Cuban GM Carlos Albornoz is the best counted among the five players who remain on equal points at the top of the rankings.

Except for the very strong Indian GM Diptayan Ghosh who fell with a bang against his compatriot Mehar Reddy.

With the defeat in the last round, Canadian Kevin Spraggett, who yesterday received the award for winner of the Portuguese circuit of classic matches last season from the president of the Portuguese Chess Federation, Dominic Cross, could not resist the aggressive play of Polish GM Igor Janic , thus finding themselves removed from the fight for the top spots.

Julia Antolalk continues to be the best ranked among women, having yesterday achieved a brilliant black draw against the Bulgarian GM, two-time winner of the Figueira tournament, Vladimir Petkov.

Portuguese IM André Sousa beat MF Gustavo Ribeiro and is, for now, the best Portuguese in 25th position.

There is a lot of expectation for the next two rounds: Albornoz will face the very motivated Igor Janic and Prraneeth will face his compatriot Lalit Babu.

By beating the Polish IM Radoslaw Barski, also the international master, Vuppala Prraneeth surprises and isolates himself in command of the classification benefiting from the draw in 7 of the first 10 boards of round 5. The 16 GMs present have had a more conservative first half of the tournament and 8 of them are just behind the current leader, with 3.5 points. It has been a very tough tournament at the top and the most rated player of the tournament, the Armenian Karen Gregoryan, is already one point less than the current leader of the classification. The next two rounds will dictate who will position themselves for victory in the strongest and most competitive tournament in the history of Portuguese chess.

Among the female participation, WGM Julia Antolak, from Poland, achieved an excellent draw against MI from Kazakhstan, Kaczmarek Aleksander,

while in the clash between former national champion Mariana Silva and French WGM Nino Maizuradze, the French champion took the woman.

One of the surprises of the day is the victory of the young Indian women's MI Sakshi Chitlange against MF Pablo Mari. In one of the longest matches of the day, the young Indian defeated the Spanish player who had tied one of the favorites to win the tournament, Cuban GM Carlos Albornoz.

Among the Portuguese, the young former national champion, MI André Sousa naturally imposed himself on the young Miguel Morais. The pairing of the 6th round meant that André Sousa would once again face a Portuguese player, MF Gustavo Ribeiro, who prevailed in the previous round of the WFM against the Cuban Lartitza Alfonzo.

Great expectations for this 6th round where some of the candidates may already commit their aspirations to victory in the competition and where we will also have a very interesting women's clash, between the already mentioned Sakshi Cgitalnge who will play as white and the French Nino Maizuradze.

Arkhila Charvi, under 8 world champion, currently close to 9 years old, achieves her first victory, a surprise against the experienced Figueirense player João Marques. The young Indian prodigy had managed to beat veteran José Dias in the previous round, in a confrontation with more than 60 years of difference between the two opponents, in which, this time, the young girl under 10 years old emerged victorious against a player who has more years of chess than the young woman's father is old. This adds up to a fantastic 2 points out of 4.

In the TOP, the “eternal” Canadian GM Kevin Spraggett, who will turn 70 this week and who was champion of the American continent and winner of many international tournaments, including the famous New York tournament, will face at table number 1 the GM of Azerbaijan, Etaj Safarli, who is one of the strongest candidates for final victory in the tournament.

The best Portuguese, so far, is the veteran Mestre Fide António Pereira dos Santos in 34th position. The best ranked among women is now the female Grandmaster from Poland, Julia Antolak.

Strong expectations for round 5 now that the strongest players are facing each other knowing that a defeat at this stage could jeopardize their aspirations for final victory in the tournament.

Any and all possibilities for new entries in the 2023 Tournament have been exhausted. We would like to thank everyone who signed up and the three players who are currently on hold.

XVII International Chess Festival Figueira da Foz

From November 4th to 12th, 2023.

Figueira da Foz International Chess Tournament – Sabir Ali

from 5th to 12th November

Eligible to FIDE CIRCUIT and Candidates Qualification

8050€ in Prizes. FROM THE 5th to 12th OF NOVEMBER 2023

Special cumulative  prizes (950€) for women players 

These cumulative prizes are  intended as positive mesures in respect of women’s equality in means and opportunities. 

550€ cumulative prizes for veterans players.

In the first round only the players who have confirmed their presence, on time for this first round, will be paired.

The International tournament will take place from the 5th to 12th of November

We will attempt to all security health rules during the tournament to ensure the safety of all players.

Special cumulative prizes

The women's prize (€950) represents a positive measure and has a symbolic and solidarity nature towards all female chess players deprived of their fundamental right, that of equality of means, form and opportunity.

This year, €550 in cumulative prizes were also established for veteran players.

Sabir Ali Tournament from 4th to 12th November 2023

We will once again have special accommodation conditions, so we are available to provide any clarification in this regard miguelcfbabo@gmail.com

Figueirense Assembly presents:

XVII Figueira da Foz International Chess Festival (from 4th to 12th November)

Sabir Ali International Tournament(from 5th to 12th November)

XVII Figueira’s International Chess Tournament

Sabir Ali International tournament from 5th to the 12th of November 2023