(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) GM Salem A.R. Saleh of the UAE beat GM Ahmed Adly of Egypt in round four to maintain solo lead with a perfect four points in the Arab Individual Chess Championship by Emirates at the Dubai Chess Club in Dubai.
Salem used the gruenfeld defense and won a vital central pawn on the 15th move to penetrate deep into white's territory. The Emirati was about to win a rook when the Egyptian resigned on the 33rd move.
GM Bilel Bellahcene of Algeria crushed the sicilian defence of Mohammed Tissir of Morocco in 37 moves to stay in second slot alone with 3.5 points. Bellahiene embarked on an early kingside pawn storm and threatened mate on the back rank.
Four players trail with 3 points each, namely GM Hicham Hamdouchi of Morocco, IM Saeed Ishaq of the UAE, IM Basheer Qudaimi of Yemen and FM Rafat Issa of Jordan. Adly and Tissir have 2.5 points each together with IM Nassr Ali of Algeria, IM Amir Zaibi of Tunisia and FM Amro El Jawich of Lebanon.
In the women's division, WIM Amina Mezoud of Algeria beat WGM Shrook Wafa of Egypt to grab solo lead with a perfect 4 point slate out of as many rounds. WGM Shahenda Wafa of Egypt beat WFM Alshaby Razan of Jordan to follow in second slot with 3.5 points. Shrook Wafa trails at 3 points together with WIM Amira Hamza and WIM Sabrina Latreche of Algeria, WFM Maya Jalloul of Lebanon and Nabaa Sami Abbas Al Attraqchi of Iraq.
The tournament is organized by the UAE Chess Federation under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
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