Tournament Review: Abu Dhabi Masters 2024

Abu Dhabi Festival is one of the biggest chess festivals in the world. This year, I had the opportunity to participate in the 30th edition. The master's edition was open to players with a rating of 2300 and above, although they had initially stated that they would allow +2100 players. The tournament attracted over 40 Grandmasters, including two players with a rating of 2700+.

Organization

The 30th event was held at the St. Regis Corniche, a luxurious property in Abu Dhabi, from August 15th to 24th, 2024. With a total prize fund of $100,000 and $30,000 going to the winner, it was no surprise that the event attracted many top-level players.
Entry was free for International Masters and Grandmasters, but I had to pay a $120 entry fee. The organizers issued UAE visas for all participants, which cost an additional $100. The playing venue was spacious, and all boards were digital. Tea and coffee vending machines were available, and the hotel staff was very helpful.
The only complaint I have is regarding the organizers' refusal to issue a refund for the blitz entry fee. I had paid for the blitz event but was unable to participate due to certain issues. When I contacted the organizers after returning home, they denied my request for a refund, stating that they do not process any refunds.

Accommodation

I stayed at the Copthorne Downtown Hotel, which cost me $500 for two people. This meant I paid $250 for 11 nights (August 13th to 24th). I had booked the same hotel when I played in the Abu Dhabi Masters 2023 edition. However, this time, the Wi-Fi was a major issue, with speeds rarely exceeding 8 Mbps. On the first day, the Wi-Fi was completely unreliable, which was a significant problem for a chess player.
Apart from the Wi-Fi, the room was good value for the price I paid. The hotel had a nice pizza restaurant where I ate on the last night of my trip.

Schedule

The event consisted of nine rounds played from August 15th to 24th. There was also a blitz event on August 17th.

About Abu Dhabi

This was my fourth visit to Abu Dhabi, having previously played in the event in 2018, 2019, and 2023. I continue to find the city extremely safe, tourist-friendly, and affordable. One thing I've noticed is that the staff here are always well-mannered and well-trained.
Public transportation is not as convenient as in European cities, but taxis are cheap. We typically paid around 20 AED for a 6-7 km ride. On my free day, I visited the Sheikh Zayed Mosque with a friend.

Ratings

• Organization: 10/10
• Hotel: 7/10 (due to poor Wi-Fi)
• Food: 9/10
• Safety: 10/10

Expenses Breakdown

• Stay: 20,000 INR / $240
• Flights: 20,000 INR / $240
• Entry Fee + Blitz Fee + Visa Fee: 23,000 INR / $270
• Food and local Taxi: 10,000 INR / $120
• Taxi (Home - Airport - Hotel): 3,000 INR / $35
• Other Expenses: 5,000 INR / $60

Total Expenses: 81,000 rupees / $950

My Performance

I unfortunately lost some points in this event. However, I've decided not to include any details about my performance in this article. This post is intended to provide information about the tournament and I don't want to focus on my personal results. Perhaps if I receive enough comments, I might write a separate article about my performance.

Photos

All photos are taken by Nikhil Dixit






Thank You for reading the blog!

---

My upcoming 1.e4 Opening Repertoire - https://nikhildixit.gumroad.com/l/e4

Because of my blog, many chess brands generously agreed to provide me with a coupon code that will give users a special discount. I have created a resource page. Check out from here - https://nikhildixit.com/resources/

Interested in learning chess? - https://nikhildixit.com/coaching/

Get Chess Tracking Sheet for FREE (695+ Players using it) - https://nikhildixit.gumroad.com/l/Chess-Tracker