Stage set for 7th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The 7th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship, regarded as one of the strongest tournaments across the world, will begin on Tuesday with the participation of players from 60 countries.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the championship will run until May 23.

Organized by the Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club with the participation of 300 players from 60 countries, including more than 160 players, including Grandmasters (GM), International Masters (IM), FIDE Masters (FM), and Women Grandmasters (WGM), as well as International Women Masters (WIM).

The tournament offers a total prize purse of a whopping $65,000.

Dr Sheikh Khalid Bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club and Chairman of the organizing committee of the championship, expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to the Ruler of Sharjah for his unwavering support for the championship and all the club’s activities.

He thanked Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Sheikh Abdullah Bin Salem Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah.

Dr. Sheikh Khalid also thanked Sharjah Sports Council and sponsors of the championship.

He highlighted that the 7th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship holds significant global importance, uniting top international players from across the globe.

Omran Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Sharjah Cultural Chess Club, revealed the participation of 300 male and female players, including 90 in the Masters Championship, 104 players in the Challengers Championship, and 100 male and female players in the Futures Championship.

Abdullah Murad Al-Mazmi, the championship director, emphasized that the selection process for participants across all tournaments spanned three months to ensure the selection of the finest players.

He noted that the tournament has garnered significant attention from seasoned players and is currently one of the most competitive open tournaments globally, evolving annually due to the unwavering support from our wise leadership and the Sharjah Sports Council. Mazmi underscored that the primary goal of organizing such events is to offer vital opportunities and substantial benefits to both the national team players and those from the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club.

“The club is dedicated to nurturing and preparing them to excel on the international stage, aiming for prominent positions, global recognition, and bringing pride to the nation,” he said.

This 7th edition of the Sharjah Masters brings together top international players, including Arjun Erigaisi (India), who is currently ranked seventh in the world with a rating of 2761. Other notable participants include Parham Maghsoodloo (Iran), the former World Youth Champion, and talented players like Yu Yangyi (China), Teymur Rajabov (Azerbaijan), Amin Tabatabaei (Iran), and Nihal Sarin (India). Russian Grandmaster Vladislav Artemiev, American Hans Niemann, Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov, and many other big names are also in the fray.

Salem Abdul Rahman Saleh, the star of both the UAE national team and Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club, stands as the sole Arab representative at the Sharjah Masters.

The organizing committee of the championship, chaired by Dr. Sheikh Khaled, includes Abdullah Murad Al Mazmi as the tournament director, Omar Noaman Al Ali as the head of the technical committee, Faisal Al Hammadi as the head of the arbitration committee, Ali Saeed Al Jallaf as the financial manager, Jasim Abdul Rahman as the head of the public relations committee, Rajai Alsusi as general coordinator and Issa Al Marzouqi as the head of the media committee.

Faisal Mohammed Abdullah Al Hammadi, an international arbiter and head of the championship’s arbiters committee, revealed that the championship will consist of nine rounds following the Swiss system.

The 7th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship is supported by various government and private entities, which include Sharjah Asset Management, Sharjah Media City (Shams), Fast Contracting Company, National Paints, Sharjah Cooperative Society, Sharjah Airport Authority, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, Centro Hotel Sharjah, Zalal Water, and Alif Group.