Blitz tournament of Sheikh Rashid Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Cup in Dubai ended up with triumph of Georgian chess players. Baadur Jobava (2706) won the main prize with 7.5 from 9 points. Mikheil Mchedlishvili (2626) took the second place with 7.0 points.

It is worth mentioning that Jobava won 6 games and played 3 draws in blitz tournament. Baadur played the last draw with Mchedlishvili who earned 6 victories, 2 draws and 1 loss. Levan Pantsulaia (2595) and Davit Arutinian (2553) earned 5.5-5.5 points. They took the 17^th-18^th places. The main tournament of 14^th DUBAI OPEN CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP is underway in the United Arab Emirates. Seven rounds have already been held. Normunds Miezis of Latvia (2557) advanced with 6.0 points.

Nine chess players are half point behind the leader. Mchedlishvili is among them. Jobava and Pantsulaia are in the 11^th and 14^th places with 5-5 points. Arutinian is in the 30^th place with 4.5 points. The only Georgian woman participant Sophiko Khukhashvili (2408) is in the 34^th place with 4.5 points.

Dubai hosts the traditional tournament for the 14^th time and 172 chess players from 32 countries are competing in it. 91 are international masters. 14th DUBAI OPEN CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP is based on Swiss system and it finishes on April 23. Prize money of the tournament is 50 000 USD, champion wins 10 000 USD.

In the 8^th round, Mchedlishvili will play against Zaven Andriasian of Armenia (2616) with black pieces, Jobava – against Vladimir Baklan of Ukraine (2612) with white pieces, Pantsulaia – against Luc Van Wely of Holland (2691) with black pieces, Khukhashvili – against Viorel Iordachescu of Moldova (2644) with white pieces, Arutinian – against Bhuvanesh Ramnath of India (2343).