Dubai Open Chess Tournament 2025 Category B

SwissStandard

97 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 27 May 2025 to 04 Jun 2025 in Dubai, UAE. 34 titled players from 8 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2226, and top seed was Sargis A. Manukyan (🇦🇲 ARM, FM, 2294).

Mahdi Nikookar (🇮🇷 IRI, FM, 2202) won with 7.5/9, ahead of Vandan Alankar Sawai (7.0) and Pesandu Rashmitha Liyanage (7.0). Nikookar broke clear in the final round.

The biggest upset came in round 6: Advait Ramesh Nair (1613) beat Meshal Alhejab (CM, 2067), a +454-point gap.

Location

🇦🇪Dubai, UAE

Dates

27 May 2025 → 04 Jun 2025

Time control

Standard: 90 minutes with 30 second increment from move 1

System

Swiss · 9 rounds

Top seed

🇦🇲FMSargis A. Manukyan2294

Avg top 10

2,226

Participants

Titled players · 34

IM×1

FM×12

CM×13

WGM×1

WIM×2

WFM×2

WCM×3

Federations · 8 represented

🇮🇳India×34

🇦🇪United Arab Emirates×22

🇦🇲Armenia×5

🇧🇩Bangladesh×5

🇺🇦Ukraine×3

🇺🇿Uzbekistan×2

FIDE (no federation)×2

🇮🇷Iran×2

Top 3

🥇
FMMahdi Nikookar
🇮🇷IRI·2202
7.5pts·2353perf+32.8
🥈
CMVandan Alankar Sawai
🇮🇳IND·2075
7.0pts·2266perf+82.8
🥉
FMPesandu Rashmitha Liyanage
🇱🇰SRI·2114
7.0pts·2296perf+42.6

How it unfolded

Top 6 · 9 rounds

FM Mahdi Nikookar led from R5; +0.5-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 2 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R5.

Co-leaders

Nikookar7.5Liyanage7Pavlidis7Zhang7Sawai7Sakline Mostafa6.5

R5–R9 · LEAD HELD

FM Mahdi Nikookar held the sole lead from R5 through R9 without losing it.

R7 · HEAD-TO-HEAD · WINNER VS 2ND

FM Mahdi Nikookar drew with FM Pesandu Rashmitha Liyanage (Black).

WIN STREAKS · 3 top finishers

FM Mahdi Nikookar 6 wins (R1–R6)FM Pesandu Rashmitha Liyanage 3 wins (R4–R6)IM Anastasios Pavlidis 4 wins (R6–R9)

Key matchups · top 4

Head-to-head between the four finishers

Player	1	2	3	4
1FMMahdi Nikookar	*	½	—	1
2FMPesandu Rashmitha Liyanage	½	*	1	—
3IMAnastasios Pavlidis	—	0	*	—
4Zhi Zhang	0	—	—	*

Grille américaine

#	Player	Elo	Fed	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	Pts	Bu C1	Bu	SB	Perf	Δ
1	Nikookar, MahdiFM	2202	IRI	+49N	+39B	+17N	+4B	+2N	+10B	=3N	=13B	=8N	7.5	50.0	54.0	44.25	2353	+32.8
2	Vandan Alankar SawaiCM	2075	IND	+53B	+50N	+72B	+12N	−1B	+14N	+6B	+3B	−4N	7.0	47.5	50.5	36.00	2266	+82.8
3	Liyanage, Pesandu RashmithaFM	2114	SRI	+67N	+30B	=34N	+86B	+5N	+7B	=1B	−2N	+14B	7.0	46.5	49.0	36.00	2296	+42.6
4	Zhang, Zhi	2126	CHN	+79B	+57N	+47B	−1N	+36B	=16N	+33B	=8N	+2B	7.0	43.5	46.5	33.00	2205	+38.8
5	Pavlidis, AnastasiosIM	2286	GRE	+38B	=37N	=88B	+65N	−3B	+29N	+47N	+11B	+13N	7.0	40.5	43.0	32.50	2226	-4.7
6	Baghdasaryan, DavitFM	2213	ARM	=25N	+33B	+63N	+9B	=34N	+24B	−2N	=16B	+19N	6.5	43.5	47.0	32.50	2114	-30.4
7	Sakline Mostafa, SajidFM	2234	BAN	+51B	=32N	+37B	=11N	+22B	−3N	+24B	=15N	+16B	6.5	43.0	47.0	32.00	2172	-9.8
8	Manukyan, Sargis A.FM	2294	ARM	=27N	=64B	+38N	=19B	+52N	+34B	+48N	=4B	=1B	6.5	42.0	45.5	31.25	2157	-21.0
9	Mohit S	2086	IND	=75B	+55N	+23B	−6N	+31B	−33N	+41B	+32N	+15B	6.5	39.5	42.5	30.00	2094	+10.4
10	Shirliyev, AllayarCM	2211	TKM	=55B	+75N	+32B	+74N	+15B	−1N	−13B	+35N	+33B	6.5	39.5	42.5	27.00	2129	-11.8
11	Ahmed, FareedFM	2090	UAE	+58N	+18B	=86N	=7B	−14N	+27B	+49N	−5N	+48B	6.0	41.5	44.0	27.00	2139	+13.2
12	Rahman, Syed MahfuzurFM	2145	BAN	+44N	+19B	+48N	−2B	−24N	−18B	+61N	+49B	+25N	6.0	40.5	44.0	26.50	2044	-19.4
13	Mridav M	2015	IND	+54N	−72B	=40N	+50B	+86N	+78B	+10N	=1N	−5B	6.0	39.5	42.0	26.00	2104	+42.6
14	Chubakov, SultanFM	2271	KGZ	=33N	+27B	+28N	=15N	+11B	−2B	=34N	+39B	−3N	5.5	44.5	49.0	27.75	2091	-35.4
15	Mukund Hemant AgarwalFM	2075	IND	+68N	+52B	+21N	=14B	−10N	+25B	=16N	=7B	−9N	5.5	44.5	48.0	26.25	2124	+24.5
16	Hamad Essam	1916	UAE	+66N	−21B	+58N	+17B	+78N	=4B	=15B	=6N	−7N	5.5	43.5	46.5	25.50	2129	+49.6
17	Shashish Subbiah	2068	IND	+56B	+59N	−1B	−16N	+40B	=23N	+36B	=31N	=18B	5.5	41.5	45.5	24.75	1955	-43.6
18	Mohammad Abdulrahman, Alawadhi	1897	UAE	+84B	−11N	+73B	−22N	+53B	+12N	=21B	=48N	=17N	5.5	38.5	41.0	22.75	2050	+36.8
19	Alahakoon, IsuruFM	1939	SRI	+77B	−12N	+59B	=8N	−69B	+62N	+82B	+21N	−6B	5.5	38.0	40.5	21.25	2078	+32.2
20	Suleimanova, AvaWGM	2096	UKR	+61B	=23N	−36B	+72N	−32B	+51N	−35B	+82N	+42B	5.5	33.5	36.0	20.00	1891	-39.2
21	Alhassadi, Yousef A.FM	2165	LBA	+62B	+16N	−15B	+35N	=48N	=32B	=18N	−19B	=30N	5.0	40.0	43.5	23.00	1987	-39.2
22	Muhammed, ShuaauFM	2082	MDV	−42N	+45B	+49N	+18B	−7N	+61B	=32N	=25B	F	5.0	38.5	42.0	22.25	1981	-17.2
23	Hari Vardan Satheeskumar	1870	IND	+97N	=20B	−9N	+66B	=47N	=17B	=52N	=44B	=28N	5.0	38.5	38.5	17.75	1957	+41.6
24	Mithilesh Ranjithkumar	1971	IND	−73B	+70N	+41B	+89N	+12B	−6N	−7N	−50B	+58N	5.0	38.0	40.0	20.00	1947	-9.2
25	Vishal Choudary B	1851	IND	=6B	−69N	+91B	+76N	+74B	−15N	+28B	=22N	−12B	5.0	37.5	39.5	18.75	2099	+54.0
26	Steiners, EmilsCM	2192	LAT	−50B	+56N	−51B	+46N	+62B	=35N	−31B	+41N	=29B	5.0	35.5	39.0	21.25	1894	-116.8
27	Novodvorskiy, Dmitriy Al	1861	FID	=8B	−14N	=80B	+70N	+72B	−11N	F	+58B	+47N	5.0	35.5	38.5	19.25	2055	+71.2
28	Noshin, AnjumWFM	2013	BAN	+80B	=36N	−14B	=40N	=41B	+63B	−25N	+72N	=23B	5.0	35.5	38.5	18.75	1875	-29.4
29	Al-Blooshi, Hamad EssaCM	1939	UAE	−63N	+85B	=67N	=64B	+44N	−5B	=45N	+54B	=26N	5.0	35.5	38.0	19.25	1894	-23.6
30	Mal ahmadi, Iliya	1909	IRI	+83B	−3N	=53B	−62N	+92B	−41N	+56B	+36N	=21B	5.0	35.0	36.5	17.00	1847	-24.0
31	Khalifah, KhaledCM	1888	UAE	+82N	−78B	+92N	=47B	−9N	+43B	+26N	=17B	F	5.0	32.5	32.5	18.25	2021	+28.4
32	Antonyan, HamletCM	1975	ARM	F	=7B	−10N	+42B	+20N	=21N	=22B	−9B	+44N	4.5	44.0	44.0	22.75	2105	+54.8
33	Kirthika BWCM	1860	IND	=14B	−6N	+81B	+82N	F	+9B	−4N	+34B	−10N	4.5	42.0	44.5	19.25	2074	+77.1
34	He, Junchen	2018	CHN	+70B	+71N	=3B	+69N	=6B	−8N	=14B	−33N	F	4.5	41.5	45.0	20.00	2093	+17.0
35	Sargsyan, Karo B.	1891	ARM	=45N	=40B	+46N	−21B	+58N	=26B	+20N	−10B	F	4.5	40.0	44.0	21.00	2004	+44.4
36	Aahaan Mathur	1671	IND	+96N	=28B	+20N	=78B	−4N	=39B	−17N	−30B	+61N	4.5	39.0	39.5	15.75	1990	+122.4
37	Ahmad Ateeq Al Remeithi	1978	UAE	+43N	=5B	−7N	+67B	=63N	−49B	=42N	=52B	=40B	4.5	38.5	42.0	19.75	1906	-17.8
38	Muhammad Shayan Noushad Ibrahim	1860	IND	−5N	+54B	−8B	−80N	+73B	+53N	+63N	−47B	=45N	4.5	36.5	39.5	16.75	1878	+0.4
39	Abheek Bhatt	1976	IND	+91B	−1N	=62B	=61N	+59B	=36N	+69B	−14N	−43B	4.5	36.5	38.5	15.25	1919	-25.5
40	Rashed Abubaker, AlhemeiriCM	1840	UAE	=69B	=35N	=13B	=28B	−17N	=72N	=62B	+68B	=37N	4.5	36.0	39.0	18.50	1943	+45.2
41	Theephigaa K P	1821	IND	−78N	+90B	−24N	+54B	=28N	+30B	−9N	−26B	+82B	4.5	36.0	38.0	16.00	1917	+39.6
42	Fang, KunWFM	1792	SGP	+22B	−47N	=57B	−32N	+76B	=74N	=37B	+65N	−20N	4.5	34.0	37.0	17.25	2012	+49.2
43	Daiwik Jain	1733	IND	−37B	−62N	+60B	=56N	+55B	−31N	+51B	F	+39N	4.5	33.5	36.5	18.50	1930	+82.8
44	Gasparyan, Beniamin	1829	ARM	−12B	+83N	−65B	+71N	−29B	+89N	+64B	=23N	−32B	4.5	33.5	35.5	14.00	1821	-2.4
45	Ramesh Nair, Advait	1613	IND	=35B	−22N	−61B	+75N	=79B	+76N	=29B	=60N	=38B	4.5	32.5	35.5	16.50	1898	+120.8
46	Abdulazizov, Asilbek	1759	UZB	F	+60N	−35B	−26B	−77N	+84N	+83B	=61B	+63N	4.5	30.0	32.5	14.25	1835	+30.8
47	Mohamed Saeed LailyCM	2058	UAE	F	+42B	−4N	=31N	=23B	+80N	−5B	+38N	−27B	4.0	42.5	45.5	17.00	1928	-25.6
48	Gowrishankar JayarajCM	2056	IND	F	+73N	−12B	+51N	=21B	+69N	−8B	=18B	−11N	4.0	39.5	39.5	15.75	2045	-2.0
49	Dy, Benjamin	1844	USA	−1B	+77N	−22B	+73N	+89B	+37N	−11B	−12N	F	4.0	39.0	41.0	12.50	1941	+17.6
50	Sharma, Taksh	1842	IND	+26N	−2B	=76B	−13N	=56B	+70N	F	+24N	F	4.0	38.5	41.5	17.00	2027	+66.0
51	Rashid Husain AlhammadiCM	1853	UAE	−7N	+93B	+26N	−48B	=64N	−20B	−43N	+85B	=54N	4.0	35.5	37.0	12.75	1874	+2.4
52	Sabirova, Shakhnoza	1878	UZB	+94B	−15N	+71B	=88N	−8B	=64N	=23B	=37N	−59B	4.0	35.0	36.0	12.25	1848	-8.4
53	Javakhishvili, Mariam	1789	GEO	−2N	+97B	=30N	=87B	−18N	−38B	+77N	+66B	F	4.0	35.0	35.0	10.25	1818	+6.2
54	Saud Bader Huwair Alzarooni	1749	UAE	−13B	−38N	+84B	−41N	+83B	=65N	+57B	−29N	=51B	4.0	34.0	36.5	12.75	1787	+17.6
55	Mandryka, Vladislav	1850	FID	=10N	−9B	−66N	+81B	−43N	+93B	=68N	=70B	=72B	4.0	34.0	35.5	12.75	1778	-19.2
56	Siddharth Sanjoy	1773	IND	−17N	−26B	+90N	=43B	=50N	=87B	−30N	=57N	+76B	4.0	33.5	35.5	12.50	1868	+38.8
57	Verma, RudraCM	1904	AUS	+90N	−4B	=42N	−63B	=66N	=68B	−54N	=56B	+73N	4.0	33.0	35.0	12.75	1725	-82.0
58	Humaidan Mohamed, Alzaabi	1811	UAE	−11B	+94N	−16B	+83N	−35B	+92N	+74B	−27N	−24B	4.0	33.0	34.0	8.00	1776	-14.0
59	Raihan Bin Anzar	1820	IND	F	−17B	−19N	+93B	−39N	−66B	+73N	+64B	+52N	4.0	31.0	31.0	12.00	1830	+5.2
60	Elnemr, Mohamed	1937	EGY	−64N	−46B	−43N	+90B	=93N	+75B	+67N	=45B	F	4.0	27.0	27.0	11.50	1721	-42.6
61	Yeshwant Saravanan	1812	IND	−20N	=82B	+45N	=39B	+65B	−22N	−12B	=46N	−36B	3.5	38.0	40.5	13.75	1799	-12.0
62	Yahya Shuaib Al Kaff	1837	UAE	−21N	+43B	=39N	+30B	−26N	−19B	=40N	=63B	F	3.5	37.5	41.0	15.75	1891	+15.6
63	Gurubaran Raghuraman	1713	IND	+29B	=88N	−6B	+57N	=37B	−28N	−38B	=62N	−46B	3.5	37.5	40.0	14.25	1854	+55.2
64	Ruhaan Mathur	1696	IND	+60B	=8N	−69B	=29N	=51B	=52B	−44N	−59N	=81B	3.5	35.5	38.5	15.25	1827	+49.7
65	Fernandez, Dandel	1965	PHI	−72N	+68B	+44N	−5B	−61N	=54B	+66N	−42B	F	3.5	34.0	37.0	13.50	1782	-39.0
66	Aditi Arun	1632	IND	−16B	=79N	+55B	−23N	=57B	+59N	−65B	−53N	=68N	3.5	33.5	36.5	13.25	1778	+59.6
67	Shvets, Serhii	1825	UKR	−3B	+84N	=29B	−37N	−82B	+81N	−60B	−71N	+85B	3.5	32.0	34.5	10.50	1742	-21.2
68	Vaibhav Krishnan K P	1785	IND	−15B	−65N	+77B	−92N	+71B	=57N	=55B	−40N	=66B	3.5	31.5	33.0	12.25	1726	-30.4
69	Vihaan DumirCM	2191	IND	=40N	+25B	+64N	−34B	+19N	−48B	−39N	F	F	3.5	31.5	31.5	16.25	1925	-87.2
70	Kuzma, Ostap	1751	UKR	−34N	−24B	+97N	−27B	+94N	−50B	+92B	=55N	F	3.5	28.5	28.5	4.50	1741	-5.2
71	Sampreet Sudheer	1711	IND	+95N	−34B	−52N	−44B	−68N	=85B	+94N	+67B	F	3.5	27.0	27.5	6.25	1787	+28.8
72	Sultan Jabir, Alzarooni	1715	UAE	+65B	+13N	−2N	−20B	−27N	=40B	F	−28B	=55N	3.0	40.5	43.0	13.75	1878	+54.8
73	Ammar Simab	1720	IND	+24N	−48B	−18N	−49B	−38N	+94B	−59B	+90N	−57B	3.0	33.0	34.0	8.00	1716	-6.4
74	Ahmed, WalijahWCM	1984	BAN	+81B	+89N	=78N	−10B	−25N	=42B	−58N	F	F	3.0	32.5	32.5	8.75	1822	-28.6
75	Drishtee GhoshWCM	1795	IND	=9N	−10B	−87N	−45B	+91N	−60N	+89B	=76N	F	3.0	32.0	34.0	8.75	1803	-6.4
76	Alhejab, MeshalCM	2067	KUW	+85N	−86B	=50N	−25B	−42N	−45B	+93N	=75B	−56N	3.0	30.0	31.5	7.50	1662	-178.4
77	Ahmed, Abdelrahman	1714	EGY	−19N	−49B	−68N	+97B	+46B	−79N	−53B	+89N	F	3.0	29.5	29.5	6.50	1676	-9.8
78	Wadifa, AhmedWIM	2109	BAN	+41B	+31N	=74B	=36N	−16B	−13N	F	F	F	3.0	28.5	28.5	13.25	1889	-63.6
79	Tom Mathew	1826	IND	−4N	=66B	−82N	+91B	=45N	+77B	F	F	F	3.0	27.5	27.5	9.00	1738	-29.2
80	Nookala, Nikhil Sriram	1737	IND	−28N	=95B	=27N	+38B	+87N	−47B	F	F	F	3.0	25.5	25.5	9.75	1937	+29.8
81	Saqar Essa Khamis	1734	UAE	−74N	=96B	−33N	−55N	+84B	−67B	−85N	+97B	=64N	3.0	24.0	24.0	4.50	1661	-36.4
82	Allahverdiyev, Khanlar Anar	1604	AZE	−31B	=61N	+79B	−33B	+67N	F	−19N	−20B	−41N	2.5	35.0	37.5	8.25	1731	+42.0
83	Shamma Khalfan Alsuwaidi	1621	UAE	−30N	−44B	+85N	−58B	−54N	+97B	−46N	=92B	F	2.5	28.5	28.5	3.25	1601	+32.4
84	Yashvir Mohammad	1615	IND	−18N	−67B	−54N	+85B	−81N	−46B	=91N	+93B	F	2.5	27.5	29.0	5.00	1635	+7.2
85	Hamad Shuaib Al Kaff	1764	UAE	−76B	−29N	−83B	−84N	+90B	=71N	+81B	−51N	−67N	2.5	27.0	29.0	6.75	1596	-82.8
86	Delloro, Noli	1862	PHI	+92B	+76N	=11B	−3N	−13B	F	F	F	F	2.5	26.0	26.0	7.50	1969	+14.0
87	Buirzayqah, Mohammed	1889	LBA	−89B	=91N	+75B	=53N	−80B	=56N	F	F	F	2.5	21.0	21.0	8.00	1681	-33.6
88	Vismay Sachar	2002	IND	+93N	=63B	=5N	=52B	F	F	F	F	F	2.5	20.5	20.5	8.75	2000	+0.4
89	Golizadeh, Asena	1610	UAE	+87N	−74B	+95N	−24B	−49N	−44B	−75N	−77B	F	2.0	27.0	27.5	3.00	1678	+22.0
90	Ahmed Ali Bamatraf	1616	UAE	−57B	−41N	−56B	−60N	−85N	+91B	+97N	−73B	F	2.0	26.0	26.0	2.00	1585	-15.6
91	Opasiak, Dustin Tennessee	1733	POL	−39N	=87B	−25N	−79N	−75B	−90N	=84B	+94B	F	2.0	23.5	23.5	3.50	1579	-33.0
92	Sultan Ahmed AlMheiri	1553	UAE	−86N	F	−31B	+68B	−30N	−58B	−70N	=83N	F	1.5	26.0	26.0	4.75	1556	-5.2
93	Kaushika Sridharan	1734	IND	−88B	−51N	+94B	−59N	=60B	−55N	−76B	−84N	F	1.5	25.0	25.0	3.00	1592	-60.4
94	Hamdan Hassan Mohammed Hassan	1598	UAE	−52N	−58B	−93N	F	−70B	−73N	−71B	−91N	+97N	1.0	21.5	21.5	0.00	1417	-63.6
95	Aryan Mehta	1939	IND	−71B	=80N	−89B	F	F	F	F	F	F	0.5	8.5	8.5	1.50	1409	-77.2
96	Ahlam RashedWIM	1922	UAE	−36B	=81N	F	F	F	F	F	F	F	0.5	7.5	7.5	1.50	1509	-21.0
97	Yousuf Mohammad Shukri	1568	UAE	−23B	−53N	−70B	−77N	F	−83N	−90B	−81N	−94B	0.0	24.0	24.0	0.00	897	-107.2

Key insights

Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.

Top rating gainers

1Aahaan MathurIND
+122.4
4.5 pts · #41
2Ramesh Nair, AdvaitIND
+120.8
4.5 pts · #36
3Vandan Alankar SawaiCMIND
+82.8
7.0 pts · #5

Top rating losers

1Alhejab, MeshalCMKUW
-178.4
3.0 pts · #79
2Steiners, EmilsCMLAT
-116.8
5.0 pts · #30
3Yousuf Mohammad ShukriUAE
-107.2
0.0 pts · #97

Biggest upsets

R6+454 Elo gap
Ramesh Nair, Advait1613 beat CMAlhejab, Meshal2067
R3+425 Elo gap
Aahaan Mathur1671 beat WGMSuleimanova, Ava2096
R1+350 Elo gap
Sharma, Taksh1842 beat CMSteiners, Emils2192