Chess

Mohammad Amin

DOHA: Qatar will host the Men’s and Women’s World Chess Championships in December this year.

Confirming this, Qatar Chess Association (QCA) President Mohammed Al-Mudahka said that this will be a milestone that will further elevate the game’s prominence in the country.

The event is scheduled from December 25 to December 31, 2025, with the Rapid Championships taking place from December 26 to 28, followed by the Blitz Championships on December 29 and 30.

Al Mudahka, who is also a Grandmaster, emphasized the importance of hosting tournaments, noting that the QCA’s efforts over the past three months have significantly boosted the performance and international rankings of Qatari players.

He reaffirmed the QCA’s strategy to enhance player development and participate in regional and continental events to gain competitive experience.

Additionally, he confirmed the continuation of the prestigious Qatar Masters International Open Championship, which attracts some of the world’s top-ranked players.

Meanwhile, the QCA President expressed his satisfaction with the Katara Ramadan International Open championship’s success, highlighting the fierce competition and impressive performances displayed throughout the tournament.

“The tournament achieved its objectives, and as expected, it was well-received by the participants. The high level of competition further solidified its reputation as one of the premier events in the chess calendar,” Al-Mudahka said.

He also praised the efforts of Katara Cultural Village in ensuring the tournament’s continuity and reiterated the Federation’s commitment to expanding the sport’s reach in Qatar.

“Our partnership with Katara will continue, and we are working on several initiatives to promote chess across the country,” he added.

Ramadan tournament continues to inspire

The Katara Chess Championship has cemented its place as one of the most significant Ramadan sports events in Qatar. Organized annually by the Qatar Chess Federation, the tournament has consistently provided a platform for emerging talent, contributing to the growth of chess at both national and international levels.

With another successful edition concluded, Qatar continues to establish itself as a key hub for chess in the region, setting the stage for even greater milestones in the future.

DOHA: The curtains fell on the Katara International Ramadan Open Classic Chess Championship with India’s Albin Sajan claiming the title.

The prestigious tournament saw the participation of 90 players from 22 countries, competing in a nine-round classic chess format under the Swiss system (60 minutes + 30 seconds per move).

Sajan secured title with 7.5 points after an intense final round.

Filipino rival Ryan Mendoza finished second. India’s Sahya Prashant finished third with 7 points, followed by compatriot Syed Abdul Qadir (4th with 6.5 points).

Strong Arab presence in standings

Algeria’s Jamal Ferhi finished as the top Arab player, securing fifth place overall with 6.5 points. Qatari national team player Lian Al-Qassabi delivered an impressive performance, finishing tenth overall with six points and claiming the Best Qatari Player award.

Egyptian Mahmoud Abdo also finished with six points, but trailed by a move difference.

Qatari talents continued to shine, with Irfan Mohammed securing sixteenth place overall with 5.5 points, earning him the Best Qatari Player Under-16 title. Meanwhile, Khaled Al-Jumaat won the Best Qatari Player Under-10 award, and Abdulaziz Al-Mahasneh was named Best Qatari Player Under-8.

Qatar’s Chess Future Looks Bright

The tournament featured 13 players from the Qatari national team across various age groups, including Irfan Mohammed, Khaled Al-Jumaat, Ahmed Saif, Fahad Al-Mansoori, Turki Al-Kuwari, Hamad Al-Kuwari, Rawda Al-Qassabi, Saqr Al-Muftah, Asma Al-Hammadi, Amer Al-Hammadi, Layan Al-Qassabi, Abdulaziz Al-Mahasneh, and Khaled Al-Yafei.

DOHA: India’s Syed Khidr maintained his lead with 4 points, followed closely by the Philippines’ Leola Robinson (3.5) at the Katara International Ramadan Open Chess Championship on Monday.

India’s Ayyappan Balandan also has 3.5 points but trails Robinson on tiebreakers. Rounding out the top five are India’s Abel Sajan and the Philippines’ Ryan Mendoza, both poised to challenge the leaders.

In Round 5, the leader Khidr secured a crucial victory over Qatar’s Al Jummat, while Al Qassabi held Mendoza to a draw. Other notable results included Qatar’s Hamad Al Kuwari drawing with India’s Dhai Vessani, Ibrahim Al Janahi defeating India’s Harish Kaverasu, Fahad Al Mansoori overcoming China’s Wang Yidu, and Khalid Al Yafai besting Mohamed Al Fateh. Rowda Al Qassabi also earned a draw against Mohamed Djerbi.

Featuring 90 players from 22 nations, this prestigious event, organized by the Qatar Chess Association (QCA), is shaping up to be a thrilling battle of wits.

The tournament, played under the Swiss system across nine rounds, uses a classical time control of 60 minutes per player with a 30-second increment per move.

Round 6 promises high-stakes drama as the top four contenders face off on the main tables, while players ranked fifth through tenth look to rebound from earlier setbacks.

Qatar’s national team is making a strong showing, with Layan Al Qassabi in sixth place at 3.5 points, firmly in the hunt for the title.

Teammates Irfan Mohamed Ferdous (eighth, 3.5 points) and Khalid Al Jummat (ninth, 3 points) are also in contention, showcasing the depth of Qatari talent.

Hamad Al Tamimi, Executive Director of the QCA, praised the fierce competition, particularly on the top boards, where the leading six players are locked in a tense showdown.

“The performances of our Qatari players across the first five rounds have been outstanding,” Al Tamimi said. “The QCA remains dedicated to nurturing talent across all genders and age groups, and we are grateful for Katara’s unwavering support in making this tournament a success year after year.”

Widely regarded as the crown jewel of the QCA’s annual calendar, the Katara International Ramadan Open Chess Championship is a cornerstone event held during the holy month of Ramadan, serving as a vital platform for Qatar’s national teams to hone their skills against elite international competition.

The 6th round of the will be held today.

DOHA: The Qatar Chess Association (QCA) recently held a ceremony to celebrate the achievements of its players at international tournaments. The event recognized the efforts of Qatari chess players who excelled in global competitions over the past year.

Among those honoured was the national team that won a silver medal at the World Chess Olympiad in Hungary last September. The squad included International Master Hussein Aziz, Hamad al-Kuwari, Turki al-Kuwari, Mohammed Mansour al-Qasabi, and Irfan Mohammed Fardous.

The QCA also felicitated the players who represented Qatar at the Gulf Youth Games in the UAE last April. Hamad Saeed al-Kuwari was recognized for winning gold in the under-14 blitz chess category and silver in the team event. Khaled Hudhaifa al-Jumaat secured gold in under-14 rapid chess, while Ibrahim Waleed al-Janahi won silver in under-14 blitz chess.

Several national team players were also acknowledged for their individual performances. Lian Mansour al-Qasabi received silver in the girls’ under-14 singles blitz chess and under-18 team category. Fatima Salah al-Hammadi, along with Rawda Mansour al-Qasabi, won silver in the under-18 team blitz event, with Rawda also securing bronze in under-18 rapid chess.

The ceremony was attended by QCA President Mohammed Al Mudhahka, Board Member Dr. Ghanem Al Sulaiti, and Executive Director Hamad al-Tamimi. The event highlighted QCA’s commitment to nurturing chess talent in Qatar and supporting players on the international stage.(Gulf Times)

NEW DELHI: In a highly anticipated encounter at the Tata Steel Masters in Wijk aan Zee, Grandmaster R Praggnanadhaa held World Champion D Gukesh to a solid draw in the eighth round. Playing with the white pieces, Praggnanadhaa opted for the Berlin Defense and managed to achieve a slightly favorable position. However, Gukesh’s precise defense neutralized any threats.

The turning point came in the early middlegame when Gukesh sacrificed a pawn to generate counterplay. Despite Praggnanadhaa’s efforts to capitalize on the material advantage, the game remained balanced. As the queens were traded, the position simplified into a rook-and-minor-piece endgame, with Gukesh skillfully creating an outside passed pawn. Praggnanadhaa’s rook had to focus solely on containing the pawn, ensuring the game remained firmly in drawing territory. After 33 moves, both players agreed to a draw.

With this result, Praggnanadhaa and Gukesh are likely to remain co-leaders with 5.5 points each, as Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan also appeared poised to split points with fourth-placed Vladimir Fedoseev of Slovenia. The competition remains intense as the final rounds approach.(Reuters)

NEW DELHI: R Praggnanandhaa held defending champion Wei Yi of China to a draw in the sixth round of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament at De Morian on Saturday. With only one decisive game in the 14-player round-robin tournament, Praggnanandhaa and Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov remain joint leaders with 4.5 points out of six.

India’s Gukesh D is in close pursuit with 4 points, keeping the competition intense with seven rounds still to go in the year’s first major chess event.

P Harikrishna, Alexey Sarana (Serbia), and Vladimir Fedoseev (Slovenia) are tied for fourth with 3.5 points each, staying within striking distance of the leaders.

In another key matchup, Gukesh displayed resilience by holding Abdusattorov to a draw after 64 moves in a challenging endgame. The game, which began with the Italian Opening, saw an equal middlegame before Abdusattorov gained a lasting advantage. However, Gukesh’s defensive efforts helped him secure a crucial half-point.

With seven rounds remaining, the battle for the title remains wide open.

NEW YORK: On January 1, a historic moment unfolded in New York as Grandmasters Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi agreed to share the 2024 FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship title. The unprecedented decision came after seven intense games, including a thrilling sudden death stage that ended in a deadlock.

Magnus Carlsen, the reigning world blitz champion, initiated the groundbreaking proposal to share the title, a move never before seen in chess history. Ian Nepomniachtchi, known for his sportsmanship, accepted the offer without hesitation, etching their names into the annals of chess history.

The tournament saw Carlsen aiming for his eighth World Blitz title and Nepomniachtchi seeking his first. The final was a rollercoaster, with Carlsen winning the first two games and coming close to victory with just a draw needed. However, Nepomniachtchi showcased incredible tenacity, winning two consecutive must-win games to level the score at 2.0-2.0 and force sudden death.

The sudden death phase added to the drama, with three consecutive draws leaving both players inseparable. It was then that Carlsen proposed the shared title, highlighting the extraordinary spirit of the game and mutual respect between the players.

Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi’s decision marks the first instance of a shared World Championship title in chess, signaling a moment of camaraderie and innovation in the sport.

NEW YORK: India’s chess icon Koneru Humpy secured her second World Rapid Chess Championship title, defeating Indonesia’s Irene Sukandar in a thrilling final in New York on Sunday. The 37-year-old had previously won the prestigious event in 2019 in Georgia, making her the only player besides China’s Ju Wenjun to achieve the feat twice. Humpy concluded the tournament with an impressive score of 8.5 out of 11 points, reaffirming her status as India’s No. 1 female chess player.

In the men’s section, 18-year-old Volodar Murzin of Russia claimed the title, becoming the second-youngest FIDE World Rapid Champion in history. The record is still held by Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who won the championship at the age of 17.

Humpy’s triumph caps a remarkable year for Indian chess, following D Gukesh’s victory over reigning world champion Ding Liren in the classical World Championship held in Singapore.

NEW YORK: World chess federation (FIDE) has sanctioned Norway’s and world’s Grandmaster Magnus regulations for violating dress code at the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships. .

“Today, Mr. Magnus Carlsen breached the dress code by wearing jeans, which are explicitly prohibited under long-standing regulations for this event. The Chief Arbiter informed Mr. Carlsen of the breach, issued a $200 fine, and requested that he change his attire. Unfortunately, Mr. Carlsen declined, and as a result, he was not paired for round nine. This decision was made impartially and applies equally to all players,” the FIDE said in a statement.

Another participant, Ian Nepomniachtchi, was also fined for breaching the dress code by wearing sports shoes. But Nepomniachtchi complied, changed into approved attire, and continued to play in the tournament.

The dress code regulations are drafted by members of the FIDE Athletes Commission, which is composed of professional players and experts.

These rules have been in place for years and are well-known to all participants and are communicated to them ahead of each event. FIDE has also ensured that the players’ accommodation is within a short walking distance from the playing venue, making adherence to the rules more convenient.

New York: The World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship, hosted by New York City, continued with the participation of 80 players in the men’s category and 110 players in the women’s category.

Qatar’s Chen Zhu, a former champion, has two and a half points after four rounds, with two wins, one draw, and a loss.

Zhu started the tournament by defeating Slovakian Lucia Sivikova in the first round before losing in the second round to Azerbaijani Olivia Fatalieva.

She then tied against Bulgarian Gergana Picheva in the third and defeated Ukrainian Natalia Zhukov in the fourth round.

The rapid chess championship competitions will conclude today.

The two-day blitz competition will begin on December 30.