Sharjah International Chess Championship starts on Wednesday

Amir Naqvi, Sports Editor

The 27th edition of the Sharjah International Chess Championship 2022 will get under way at the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club on Wednesday.

The much-anticipated, annually held Sharjah International Chess Championship will be held under the patronage of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

The event is organised by the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club, with the participation of approximately 200 to 220 players representing 31 federations, including 31 players with international titles from inside and outside the country.

13 Grandmasters, including Sokolov Ivan, Salem AR Saleh, Miladinovic Igor, Arencibia Rodriguez Walter, Naiditsch Arkadij, Iordachescu Viorel, Adly Ahmed, Yakubboev Nodirbek, Antoaneta Stefanova (FIDE Women's World Champion), Sindarov Javokhir, Grivas Efstratios, Erdogdu Mert, and Zubarev Alexander, are taking part in the Sharjah International Chess Championship.

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The championship will be held in two parts. Beginning with the Rapid competition, which will take place on April 6–7 and the Blitz on April 8, On all three days of the event, the games will start at 9:30pm.

The championship carries a prize purse of Dhs 27,000 and will be held under the strict health and safety protocols laid down by the UAE authorities.

The details of the Sharjah International Chess Championship were revealed during a press conference held at the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club on Monday.

Sheikh Saud Bin Abdulaziz Al Mualla, Chairman of the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club, emphasised the importance of such events for Sharjah and the UAE in general. The press conference was attended by Jamal Al Midfaa, the club’s Secretary General, Omar Noaman Al Ali, Technical Director, Hassan Al Hammadi, media head, Faisal Al Hammadi, the Chief Arbiter, Rajai Al Susi, Executive Director of the Club, and Grandmaster Efstratios Grivas, Director of Sharjah International Chess Academy.

Sheikh Saud hailed Dr Sheikh Sultan for his unwavering support and his generosity to the club and the players.

Sheikh Saud also lauded the support of Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, and Sheikh Abdullah Bin Salem Al Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah.

Sheikh Saud confirmed that the organising event of such a stature strengthens the UAE’s position in general and Sharjah Cultural Chess Club’s ability to host a big event when the world is reeling under the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. "Organising such events also aims to provide a great deal of benefit and development for the players of the national team and of the club, a number of whom will participate in the championship," he added.

In the event, all age groups from age six and above will participate.

The club has taken preventive and precautionary measures for the players and arbiters, as per the approved health and safety protocols.

Midfa, the club's general secretary, stressed that bringing these events back on the board aims to provide a significant opportunity and benefit the players of the national team and club's players, which will help them prepare and excel in chess tournaments.

Omar Noaman Al Ali, Tournament Director, said: "The tournament will be broadcast live on chess24.com, one of the three largest chess internet platforms in the world." Last year, the UAE’s top-ranked chess player, Grandmaster Saleh, emerged as the sole winner of the 26th edition of the Sharjah Rapid International Chess Championship. The top-rated Emirati in the competition collected 9 points from nine rounds and overcame the challenge of the Moroccan International Master Mokhliss El Adnani. GM Saleh also dominated the Blitz Championship, which was held on the sidelines of the tournament.