The third edition of the Qatar Masters Open 2023 will begin on Wednesday at the Lusail Sports Arena. Attracting an elite of the most prominent world champions, the event will start on Wednesday and continue until October 20.

<big>The third edition of the Qatar Masters Open 2023 will begin on Wednesday at the Lusail Sports Arena. Attracting an elite of the most prominent world champions, the event will start on Wednesday and continue until October 20. 
Two hundred fifty male and female players from 42 countries, including 62 senior international grandmasters and representatives of 16 Arab countries, are participating in the tournament. India has the most significant number, as 76 male and female players will participate. 
Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, world Numero Uno and a five-time world champion tops the list of participating stars;&nbsp;he will make his third appearance after having previously participated in the 2014 and 2015 editions. 
The remaining participating grandmasters who have arrived are American Hikaru Nakamura, Dutchman Anish Giri, Indian Dommaraju Gukesh, and Kazakh Bibisara Assaubayeva. 
The Qatar Masters Championship is considered one of the world&#39;s strongest open tournaments. Still, it was also classified as the strongest open tournament in the world in the previous editions, 2014 - 2015, due to the participation of a selection of the best international adult players who lead the world ranking list. The tournament has gained a lot of publicity and public attention. 
 
The tournament is a 9-round Swiss system for players with a rating above 2300. 
The total prize fund is for $ 108,250. 
The top prizes are as follows: 
$25,000, $15,000, $10,000, $7,500, $6,000, $5,000, $4000. 
 
Here is the schedule:</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_Masters_2023_Schedule.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" />

<big>Here is an excellent video to present the first round by Chessbase India:</big>

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0MhT2yA2ns8?si=QkWP_hzv1mGL0AoO" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

<big>First-round pairings:</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_Masters_2023_Pairings_Rd1.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" /> 
 
<big>It&#39;s a Swiss System tournament; the big guys will start playing each other after the first rounds. 
 
Round 1</big>

<big>The first round saw some upsets, as may happen in these &quot;risky&quot; Open tournaments for the top players. 
Carlsen, Nakamura, Giri, Erigasi, and Abdusattarov won their games, all against players whose ratings were much lower. 
Gukesh D had to settle for a draw against his fellow countryman IM Mohammad Shaikh, whose rating is more than 300 points lower than his. 
There were other draw games, and GM Salem Saleh - 16&nbsp;seed&nbsp;- lost to IM Krishna. 
 
Results for Round 1:</big>

<big><img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_Masters_2023_results_rd1.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" /></big>

<big>Here are the pairings for Round 2:</big>

<big><img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_Masters_2023_Pairings_Rd2.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" /></big>

<hr />
<big>Round 2</big>

<big>The first and the biggest real upset happened today in round 2.&nbsp; 
Alisher Suleymenov, a 23-year-old Grandmaster from Kazakhstan, defeated Magnus Carlsen.</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Suleymenov.png" style="width: 248px; height: 312px;" /> 
GM Suleymenov - Source: FIDE.com

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<big>Nakamura, Giri, and Erigasi won their games. 
Is Magnus already out of contention? Probably not, considering that now his direct contenders will be paired with stronger players, whereas the Norwegian will most likely get weaker opponents. 
On &quot;X,&quot; there was a bit of polemic when Magnus replied to Hikaru&#39;s recap on YT:</big>

<a href="https://twitter.com/MagnusCarlsen/status/1712559824821715202"><img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Magnus_Tweet_Rd2.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" /></a>

<big>Probably, there won&#39;t be a new cheating-related scandal, but it&#39;s easy to see that everyone is always very sensitive about this problem!</big>

<big>Pairings for Round 3:</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Pairings_Rd3.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" />

<hr />
<big>Round 3</big>

<big>Magnus is back. The World Number One today won with Indian IM&nbsp;Muthaiah Al. 
Nakamura and Giri drew with lower-rated opponents, whereas Erigasi won his third game in a row. 
GM Sindarov defeated GM Kaidanov and is the only U18 with 3.0/3.</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Results_Rd3.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" />

<big>Standings after Round 3</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Standings_Rd3.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" />

<big>Pairings&nbsp;for Round 4:</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Pairings_Rd4.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" />

<hr />
<big>Round 4</big>

<big>Magnus Carlsen drew GM Panesh, a&nbsp;17-year-old Indian player, and Hikaru Nakamura won vs. Netherlands GM Kevlishili (2521).&nbsp; 
Erigasi and Giri drew. Gukesh D won his game against Turkish GM Yilmazyerli.</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Results_Rd4.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" /> 
 
<big>Standings after four rounds:</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Standings_Rd4.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" />

<big>Magnus is a full point behind the leaders, but there still are five rounds to go, and everything can happen. 
Also, there haven&#39;t been direct encounters between the favorites yet.</big>

<big>Here are the pairings for Round 5:</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Pairings_Rd5.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" />

<big>Magnus is paired with 16-year-old Indian GM&nbsp;Bharath, Subramaniyam H. 
Erigasi, Nakamura, Gukesh, and A.R. Saleh all play stronger&nbsp;opponents.&nbsp; 
This is, in a way, the beauty of a Swiss Open!</big>

&nbsp;

<big>Round 5</big>

<big>Round 5 saw Magnus win his game, Nakamura and Erigasi drew,&nbsp;and Gukesh and Giri&nbsp;- unexpectedly - lost.</big>

<big>Here are the standings after Round 5:</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Standings_Rd5.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" />

<hr />
<big>Round 6</big>

<big>With three rounds to go, Carlsen caught up with Nakamura, half a point behind the leaders Narayanan (IND), Sindarov (UZB), Erigasi (IND), and Yakubboev&nbsp; (UZB). 
Magnus won round 6 against Bharath (IND). 
 
Results Round 6:</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Results_Rd6.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" /> 
 
<big>In Round 7, the four leaders will match against one another. Nakamura has to cross Bishops with Maghsoodloo (2707 Elo).</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Pairings_Rd7.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" /> 
 
<big>Standings after Round 6:</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Standings_Rd6.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" />

<hr />
<big>Round 7</big>

<big>In round 7, GM Karthikeyan Murali did something extraordinary that&nbsp;only one Indian player has managed to do so far. After Vishy Anand, Karthikeyan is the second Indian player to defeat World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in classical chess. 
Not Magnus&#39;s tournament, apparently. This is the second loss for the Norwegian, who now is stuck at 4.5/7, a full point behind the six leaders, with two rounds to go.</big>

<big>Standings after Round 7</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Standings_Rd7.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" />

<big>Next round, Magnus plays USA Gregory Kaidanov (64 years old!), who&#39;s playing one of his best tournaments ever.</big>

<img alt="" src="https://www.chessclub.com/uploads/content/Qatar_2023_Pairings_Rd8.png" style="max-width: 100%;height: auto;" />

<big>All the six leaders are playing one another again, and it&#39;s normal with the Swiss system. Nakamura and Giri could take advantage of the pairings, as they follow the leaders half a point behind.</big>