Latest news with #RoudaAlSerkal
Al Etihad
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
Young talent on board as Abu Dhabi Chess Club hosts International Chess Day Tournament
20 July 2025 23:04 SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)Abu Dhabi Chess Club celebrated the annual International Chess Day, July 20, with a tournament that attracted the participation of 400 players, showing that the future of the sport looks Ahmed Al Khouri, Executive Director at the Abu Dhabi Chess & Mind Games Club, said the UAE capital has strengthened its status regionally in the world of chess through initiatives aimed at nurturing local talent and positioning the sport as an essential element of the emirate's cultural and educational a strong focus on youth talent development, the UAE capital could very well produce the next Rouda Al Serkal, the 15-year-old prodigy who made history as the first Emirati woman chess grandmaster earlier this an interview with Aletihad, Al Khouri said: "The Abu Dhabi Chess & Mind Games Club is a cornerstone of the UAE and international chess movement, given its pioneering role in organising the Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival, which has been held annually since 1991 and is considered one of the largest chess events in the world. "The last edition of the festival saw the participation of approximately 2,545 players from 67 different nationalities."To mark International Chess Day this year, the club hosted an international tournament at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) on Sunday, with over 400 players, in addition to a variety of educational activities and competitions."We are keen to celebrate International Chess Day by spreading the culture of chess and enhancing its popularity across Abu Dhabi and the UAE," Al Khouri club also serves as an important vehicle for youth development."The club attracts more than 600 members of all ages and genders. In collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the Ministry of Education, we visit schools across the emirate to establish chess clubs under the guidance of international coaches," he grassroots investment in talent has already borne fruit. He added: "Our players have achieved notable international accomplishments. Rouda Al Serkal won the World Chess Championship (8-year-old category) in Brazil in 2018, the World Schools Championship (9-year-old category) in Albania in 2019, the Asian Women's Amateur Chess Championship in 2023, and the Arab Women's Championship in 2024. "She was the first Emirati woman to earn the title of International Grandmaster and is now ranked among the top 100 female players in the world." Al Khouri also noted the success of Omran Al Hosani, who has been named International Master and has won numerous national and regional titles, with the club's juniors scooping six gold medals in 2024 alone."These achievements reflect the success of our strategic training approach and have significantly increased public interest in joining the club," Al Khouri its attempt to promote inclusivity, the club has also worked to grow female participation and integrate chess in schools."We recently organised the Abu Dhabi Sports Championship for Schools and Universities and are distributing a chess curriculum across schools and universities. Female membership has now surpassed male participation, leading to multiple wins in the women's category, including the UAE Women's Championship."Technology is also a cornerstone of the club's growth strategy."We operate a dedicated online platform with over 1,000 users, offering weekly tournaments and personalised training programs supervised by elite coaches. This modern environment helps players of all ages and skill levels improve continuously."Furthermore, the club is working to broaden its impact by promoting other mind sports and reinforcing Abu Dhabi's role as a leader in strategic thinking."By 2025, we plan to add three more mind games and expand our community of enthusiasts. Chess, after all, is not just a pastime - it is a powerful tool for cognitive growth," Al Khouri emphasised. He concluded by highlighting chess's key mental benefits, such as strengthening strategic thinking, improving focus, boosting memory, as well as enhancing problem-solving skills.
Sharjah 24
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Sharjah 24
UAE President: Sports key to national development
Sports as a cornerstone of national vision Honouring chess grandmaster Rouda Al Serkal These remarks came during a reception at Qasr Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi, where His Highness met with Rouda Essa Al Serkal, a member of the UAE national chess team and Abu Dhabi Chess Club & Mind Games. The meeting celebrated her recent victory at the Arab Chess Championship, where she earned the title of Grandmaster—becoming the first Emirati woman to do so—and qualified for the Chess World Cup finals. Presidential praise and encouragement His Highness congratulated Rouda Al Serkal on her historic achievement, calling it a valuable addition to the UAE's growing list of accomplishments in chess. He wished her continued success in the World Cup and commended her determination and perseverance from a young age. Rouda Al Serkal's appreciation Rouda Al Serkal expressed her joy at meeting His Highness and her gratitude for the support and encouragement she has received throughout her journey. She underscored that this backing has been pivotal to her success and said she is proud to represent Emirati women as the first to earn the Grandmaster title—an outcome she attributed to the leadership's ongoing efforts to empower women in all fields.
Zawya
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Zawya
UAE President: Supporting sports sector key pillar of nation's development vision
UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has reaffirmed the country's commitment to supporting young Emirati sporting talents, developing their skills and capabilities, and harnessing all available resources to empower them to achieve sporting excellence at regional and international levels. His Highness noted that advancing the sports sector is a central component of the UAE's broader development vision, both now and in the future. His Highness made these remarks during a reception at Qasr Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi, where he met with Rouda Essa Al Serkal, a member of the UAE national chess team and Abu Dhabi Chess Club & Mind Games. The meeting marked her recent triumph at the Arab Chess Championship, where she secured the title of Grandmaster – the first Emirati woman to earn this prestigious international designation – and her qualification for the Chess World Cup finals. His Highness the President congratulated Rouda Al Serkal on this remarkable achievement, describing it as a valuable addition to the UAE's record of accomplishments in chess. He wished her continued success in her upcoming participation in the World Cup and praised the determination and perseverance she has demonstrated since an early age. For her part, Rouda Al Serkal expressed her joy at meeting His Highness and conveyed her gratitude for the support and encouragement she has received. She highlighted the significant role this backing has played in her journey, adding that she is proud to be the first Emirati woman to earn the title of Grandmaster, a milestone that reflects the leadership's vision to empower Emirati women and enable them to realise their ambitions across all fields.
Al Etihad
16-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Etihad
UAE President: Supporting sports sector key pillar of nation's development vision
16 June 2025 14:28 ABU DHABI (WAM)UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has reaffirmed the country's commitment to supporting young Emirati sporting talents, developing their skills and capabilities, and harnessing all available resources to empower them to achieve sporting excellence at regional and international Highness noted that advancing the sports sector is a central component of the UAE's broader development vision, both now and in the Highness made these remarks during a reception at Qasr Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi, where he met with Rouda Essa Al Serkal, a member of the UAE national chess team and Abu Dhabi Chess Club & Mind meeting marked her recent triumph at the Arab Chess Championship, where she secured the title of Grandmaster – the first Emirati woman to earn this prestigious international designation – and her qualification for the Chess World Cup Highness the President congratulated Rouda Al Serkal on this remarkable achievement, describing it as a valuable addition to the UAE's record of accomplishments in chess. His Highness wished her continued success in her upcoming participation in the World Cup and praised the determination and perseverance she has demonstrated since an early her part, Rouda Al Serkal expressed her joy at meeting His Highness and conveyed her gratitude for the support and encouragement she has highlighted the significant role this backing has played in her journey, adding that she is proud to be the first Emirati woman to earn the title of Grandmaster, a milestone that reflects the leadership's vision to empower Emirati women and enable them to realise their ambitions across all fields.
Dubai Eye
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Dubai Eye
UAE's Al Serkal finishes strong in Norway Chess Open debut
UAE's rising chess star, Rouda Al Serkal, closed her debut at the Norway Chess Open's grandmaster category with three wins, finishing with 4 points from nine rounds. The 15-year-old showed resilience after a difficult start, bouncing back from early losses to defeat Norway's Sigur H. Myny, Italy's Mauro Pivi, and France's Franck Gouanelle in her final three games. 'It was tough to start like that and then mentally recover,' Rouda said of her opening-round loss to Swedish Grand Master Platon Galperin. 'But I knew I had to regroup quickly.' Her early rounds included two draws and four defeats, including a loss to Spain's Lucia Follana Albelda after a strong start with the Caro-Kann. Despite the setbacks, she made her way to victory. 'Eventually I just found my footing,' she said. 'I stopped overthinking, trusted my training and things began to click.' Fresh off a strong campaign at the Asian Individual Women's Championship in Al Ain and a productive training block, Al Serkal entered the tournament with confidence. As the first Emirati woman to compete in the GM category at the event, her performance marks a milestone for UAE chess. 'Ending with three wins felt really special,' Rouda said. 'I'm leaving stronger than I arrived, even if I could have done better.'
