350 players to compete in Sharjah International Chess Masters Championship
The eighth edition of the Sharjah International Chess Masters Championship has achieved a historic milestone, attracting a record-breaking 350 male and female players from 60 countries. This marks the highest number of participants in the tournament's history, reflecting its growing prestige and global appeal within the international chess community.
The Sharjah International Chess Masters Championship will be held under the patroinage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah.
The championship, organized by the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club, will be held from May 16 to 26.
The Organizing Committee of the Sharjah International Chess Masters Championship has announced the closure of player registration.
Topping the tournament's rankings is Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov, the 2021 World Rapid Chess Champion. He was also a member of Uzbekistan's national team that won the Chess Olympiad and currently holds a FIDE rating of 2771. Abdusattorov previously won the fifth edition of the Sharjah Masters in 2022.
The championship features 156 titled players competing in the main tournament for participants rated above 2500, including 69 Grandmasters and 16 International Masters. In the secondary tournament, designated for players rated below 2500, the field includes 8 Grandmasters, 35 International Masters, and 28 FIDE Masters.
Meanwhile, the Organizing Committee, chaired by Omran Abdullah Al Nuaimi, continues to hold meetings to finalise all organizational, administrative, and logistical arrangements in preparation for the arrival of the international participants. Al Nuaimi expressed his deepest gratitude and appreciation to Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi for his continued support of sports and athletes, particularly in the field of chess, and for generous patronage of the tournament.
He affirmed that the committee's continued efforts are focused on delivering an event that reflects the high standards of the UAE and the Emirate of Sharjah, which has consistently excelled in hosting major international events.
'We take pride in our accumulated experience and the dedication of our national professionals,' he added.
He further noted that the tournament enjoys global recognition, with many world champions keen to participate each year.
'We always strive to bring in the best and most competitive players to enhance the tournament's level, and the technical, administrative, and organizational benefits will undoubtedly be substantial,' he concluded.
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Gulf Today
6 days ago
- Gulf Today
Giri wins Sharjah Masters Chess Championship
Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports of the UAE, attended the closing ceremony of the 8th Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship. Organized by the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the tournament featured 350 players from 60 countries. Dr. Falasi emphasized that the championship underscores the UAE's prominent position in the global sports arena, particularly in chess, a game that combines intellect, strategy, and talent. He stated, 'This tournament has solidified its status as a global platform attracting world champions and offering emerging talents the opportunity to gain experience and learn diverse playing styles at the highest levels.' He added, 'The significant participation and exceptional organization reflect the commitment of the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club and the Sharjah Sports Council to advancing the sport and reinforcing Sharjah's role as an international hub for chess. The fruitful collaboration between various governmental and private entities contributed to delivering an outstanding edition by all standards.' He commended all efforts behind the tournament's success, affirming that the Ministry of Sports prioritizes supporting initiatives that enhance the UAE's stature in hosting global championships and preparing a generation of local champions capable of excelling internationally. The closing ceremony and awards presentation were attended by Sheikh Dr. Khalid Bin Hamid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club and President of the Arab Chess Federation; Taryam Matar Taryam, President of the UAE Chess Federation; Essa Hilal Al Hazami, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council; and numerous sports figures. The event also featured the announcement of the winners of the Arab Chess Federation's Translation and Composition Award and the honoring of the award's jury committee. Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri clinched the Masters title after securing 7 points out of 9 rounds, marking the first time a European player has won the championship. Serbian Grandmaster Aleksandar Indjic and top-seeded Uzbek Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov both scored 6.5 points, with Indjic taking second place and Abdusattorov finishing third on tiebreaks. Winners of the B and C categories were also honored during the ceremony. Sheikh Dr. Khalid expressed profound gratitude to Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi for his unwavering support of sports and athletes, and for his patronage of the championship. He also thanked Dr. Falasi for attending the closing ceremony, as well as Hazami and Taryam Matar Taryam for their continuous support of the clubs. He affirmed that the championship achieved numerous gains on technical, administrative, and organizational levels, attributing the professional organization to the dedicated efforts of the working team. The tournament left a significant impact on participating players, including those who secured top positions and those who attained international titles. Hazami noted, 'The championship showcased high-level performances and recorded unprecedented participation, with players from 60 countries, underscoring its global reputation. We take pride in organizing a tournament of such professional caliber and extend our gratitude to the club's management, led by Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Hamid Al Qasimi, and the organizing committee. Importantly, each edition of the championship reveals new talents and heralds the emergence of future stars.'
Al Etihad
6 days ago
- Al Etihad
Dutchman Giri makes Sharjah chess history in winning title
27 May 2025 00:48 KUUMAR SHYAM (SHARJAH)Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri made history in the UAE by becoming the first European to win the prestigious Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship. Giri clinched the title with an impressive seven out of nine points, edging out Serbian GM Aleksandar Indjic and Uzbek prodigy Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who both finished with 6.5 eighth staging of the tournament, held at the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club, attracted over 350 players from 60 countries, with Giri taking home the winner's cheque of $15,000. The champion of Indian origin gained 20.94 FIDE Circuit points, taking him up to third place behind GMs Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Ding Liren in the race for a 2026 FIDE Candidates championship spot, and 10.3 rating points, which has seen him vault to world No.12 from 23rd position on the rating the closing ceremony, Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, UAE Minister of Sports, underscored the significance of the event. Dr. Al Falasi said: 'This tournament has solidified its status as a global platform attracting world champions and offering emerging talents the opportunity to gain experience and learn diverse playing styles at the highest levels.'Giri's victory adds to his illustrious career, which includes five Dutch national titles and a peak world ranking of No. 3. In a recent interview, Giri reflected on the evolving landscape of chess, noting the increasing prominence of younger players and the impact of technological advancements on the game. He observed: 'Chess has changed a lot. There's been progress. Technological progress. The engines have gotten so much stronger... Now, with neural networks, computers have gained intuition, and you can just learn from them.'In his own minor way, to innovate and find ways to win the tournament, Giri caused a stir when he drew with GM Velimi Ivic after just four moves by each player in the penultimate round. After a solid draw in the earlier round to navigate the main threat, the top seed and Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Giri made the quick draw 'as part of a deep strategic' thought without elaborating. It was obvious though that he went for broke in preparing for a final-round push against Indian GM Aditya Mittal to score the win, which he did, going into the round at the start of the day as joint leader with other big winner of the event was Bibisara Assaubayeva, who survived two crazy final draws to become only the 43rd woman to earn the grandmaster title. International Master Faustino Oro's bid to become the youngest player ever to earn a GM norm fell just short, after the 11-year-old lost his final two games. The championship also celebrated achievements beyond the main event, including the announcement of the winners of the Arab Chess Federation's Translation and Composition Award. Dignitaries such as Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Hamid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club and President of the Arab Chess Federation, and Essa Hilal Al Hazami, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council, were present to honour the participants and organisers.
Gulf Today
25-05-2025
- Gulf Today
Giri and Abdusattorov share lead as Sharjah Masters surpasses 1m views
The 8th edition of the Sharjah International Masters Chess Championship, organized by the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, has officially surpassed one million views across social media platforms and international chess websites. Abdallah Murad Al Mazmi, Tournament Director, attributed this milestone to the global interest in the event, which features 350 players from 60 countries — making it a truly international competition. He noted that the daily broadcast of matches on specialized global platforms draws over 250,000 views per day, with India leading in online engagement due to the country's strong player representation and deep-rooted chess culture. Al Mazmi added that the presence of many internationally titled players significantly enhanced the tournament's prestige. The Sharjah Masters is also officially recognized by FIDE, allowing participants to earn qualifying points for the World Cup. In a major achievement, China's Huang Renjie secured the title of International Master after earning 3.5 points — with five draws and one victory — achieving his final norm. He becomes the second player in this edition to earn a title, following Kazakhstan's Edgar Mamedov, who was awarded the Grandmaster title. This marks the first time in the tournament's history that two players have earned international titles during the event. Meanwhile, the eighth round of the championship was inaugurated by Dr. Sultan Al Taher, Board Member of the UAE Chess Federation and Head of Technical Affairs, along with Imran Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Organizing Committee, and Omar Fathi Afana, General Manager of FAST Contracting Company, a sponsor of the tournament. The penultimate round featured intense competition at the top of the leaderboard, as Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri and top-seed Uzbek Nodirbek Abdusattorov shared the lead with 6 points. They were closely followed by a group of five players with 5.5 points: Serbians Aleksandar Indjic and Velimir Ivic, Armenian Shant Sargsyan, and Iranians Bardiya Daneshvar and Amin Tabatabaei. Fourteen players, including UAE's Salem Abdulrahman of the Sharjah Cultural Chess Club, trail just behind with 5 points.
