Latest news with #RoudaAlSerkal
Dubai Eye
3 days ago
- 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.'
Khaleej Times
3 days ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
UAE's Rouda AlSerkal scores a hat trick at Norway Chess Open
Rouda AlSerkal may have suffered a few heartbreaking defeats, but the 15-year-old UAE chess prodigy bounced back with exhilarating performances to finish her maiden Norway Chess Open campaign in style at Stavanger. The first Woman Grandmaster from the UAE, Rouda showed maturity that belied her young age, ending the tournament with a hat trick of wins after losing her first game to Swedish Grandmaster Platon Galperin. In one of the most challenging events, the teenager suffered three more losses and managed two draws in the next rounds before finding her feet as she finished the event with a flourish. A former world youth champion, Rouda registered her first win of the tournament against Sigur H. Myny of Norway before winning back-to-back games against Mauro Pivi of Italy and France's Franck Gouanelle. Three wins, two draws and four losses may not sound like a great tournament for an experienced campaigner. But for Rouda, an emerging talent, this was an experience that would help her add more weapons to her game. 'It was a learning experience more than anything else,' Rouda said. 'And I'm proud I stayed with it. Ending with three wins felt really special – I feel like I'm still leaving stronger than I arrived although I could have done much better.' Kjell Madland, Tournament founder, showered Rouda with high praise for her courageous performance. 'It is exactly the kind of story that reinforces Norway Chess as a truly global platform,' Madland said. 'To have young talents like Rouda travel all the way from the UAE to compete at this level adds richness and reach to what we're building here in Stavanger.'
Al Etihad
4 days ago
- Sport
- Al Etihad
UAE's Al Serkal ends Norway Chess Open campaign on a high
2 June 2025 00:33 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)UAE's rising chess star Rouda Al Serkal signed off with a flourish at the Norway Chess Open, winning three consecutive games to close out the prestigious tournament's General Masters category on a high in the city of 15-year-old showed remarkable resilience over nine gruelling rounds on her debut in the tournament as a wild card entry. If the column of victories are a parameter to measure success, she notched a hat-trick and yet, the Emirati Woman GrandMaster (WGM) chose to reflect on the wins that got three wins, two draws and four losses, Al Serkal's overall performance was a promising show of potential. After a frustrating start, she found her first win in the seventh round and then went on to take the next two as well. Her ability to rebound and finish strongly added a healthy dose of character and composure to her international journey.'Eventually I just found my footing,' Al Serkal said on the sidelines of the event at its conclusion on Sunday. 'I stopped overthinking, focused on basics, and trusted my training. Once that happened, things began to click.'I was honestly hoping to gain around 100 rating points,' the 15-year-old lass said. 'Most of the rounds I lost, I was either winning or had a clear advantage but lost my way in the end. That's what frustrated me the most.'Fresh off a strong campaign at the Asian Individual Women's Championship in Al Ain two weeks before the tournament and a productive training block, Al Serkal came into the tournament with confidence. However, the opening round on May 26 against Swedish Grandmaster Platon Galperin – one of the tournament's highest-rated players in the open category and who finished fourth overall – didn't go to loss, despite playing with white pieces, hit her hard. 'It was tough to start like that and then mentally recover from there – I was disappointed,' Rouda admitted. 'I didn't feel like I was getting my game right, and it was demoralising to lose after such a long fight. But I knew I had to regroup quickly.'Al Serkal, who celebrates her birthday next month, steadied herself with a hard-fought draw the next day against American Luke Leon Robin Anatol before suffering another defeat in round three to Spain's Lucia Follana Albelda. 'That was even more crushing as I had her completely in my grasp after opening with a Caro-Kahn advanced variation, but somehow I just failed to capitalise.'Two more challenging days followed with a draw against Mexico's Jan Enrique Zepeda Berlanga and losses to Norwegians Ask Amundsen (playing white) and Astor Moe Maurstad (playing black). But the UAE's first Woman Grandmaster and a former world youth champion refused to give up. This time she managed to take advantage with white against Norway's home favourite Sigur Myny. She carried that momentum forward, beating Italy's Mauro Pivi, and capped her campaign off with a composed victory over France's Franck Gouanelle.'It was a learning experience more than anything else,' Al Serkal said. 'And I'm proud I stayed with it. Ending with three wins felt really special – I feel like I'm still leaving stronger than I arrived although I could have done much better.'Tournament founder Kjell Madland praised her spirited finish as well. 'It is exactly this kind of story that reinforces Norway Chess as a truly global platform. To have young talents like Rouda travel all the way from the UAE to compete at this level adds richness and reach to what we're building here in Stavanger.' Meanwhile, in the elite Norway Chess super-tournament being played concurrently in Stavanger, world No.1 and local superstar Magnus Carlsen and reigning two-time Women's World Rapid Chess champion Koneru Humpy were leading in the open and women's sections respectively after five rounds with the sixth still in progress on Sunday evening.
Mid East Info
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Mid East Info
Rouda Al Serkal breaks new ground for UAE with historic Norway Chess Open debut - Middle East Business News and Information
Rouda Al Serkal, the UAE's first Woman Grandmaster (WGM) at just 15 years old, has marked a significant moment for her country and the Arab world by participating in the Norway Chess Open. This event is not just any tournament but one that draws the globe's chess elite, including the reigning World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju from India and the renowned Magnus Carlsen from Norway. On a sunny Monday evening, Rouda embarked on her journey in the tournament with a challenging match against Ukraine's GM Platon Galperin. Despite her best efforts and a game that stretched over 56 moves, she faced a setback with a 0–1 result. However, Rouda's spirits remained high as she reflected on the match, 'It is sad to not start with a win,' she admitted, but quickly added, 'But it was also incredibly valuable. Playing at this level is intense, and I know I'll grow from this.' This optimistic outlook exemplifies her resilience and determination to improve and succeed in future encounters. Rouda's entrance into the Norway Chess Open, especially in the open category, signifies a monumental shift not only in her career but in the perception of athletes from the Gulf, particularly women. 'It's been an incredible journey for me so far – one tournament at a time, learning from every game and gradually improving. Playing at an event like Norway Chess, alongside some of the biggest names in the sport, is a great experience. It shows how far I've come, and how much more there is to learn and achieve,' Rouda shared, reflecting on her path and the significance of her participation. Her achievement of the Woman Grandmaster title earlier this year was a groundbreaking moment, establishing her as the youngest and the first individual from the UAE to earn this distinction. Rouda's debut in Norway is not merely a personal triumph but a powerful statement of progress and ambition. Her presence at this event underscores a remarkable step forward for Emirati women in the realm of international chess, a field traditionally dominated by players from Europe and Asia. Kjell Madland, the Founder and tournament director of Norway Chess, praised her pioneering spirit, stating, 'She's breaking barriers that we didn't even know existed. For a young Emirati woman to compete in the open category at one of the world's top tournaments—it's inspirational. The significance of Rouda's journey stretches beyond sport.' Rouda's success and her bold steps forward have not only placed her in the spotlight but have also shone a light on the UAE's commitment to nurturing young talent and promoting women's participation in global sports arenas. Madland added, 'I am confident her courage and skill are paving the way for a new generation of Emirati girls who now see a future for themselves on the international stage—not just in chess, but in any field they choose.'
Gulf Insider
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Insider
15-Year-Old Rouda Al Serkal Makes History As First Emirati Woman Grandmaster In Chess
Rouda Al Serkal created history recently by becoming the first Emirati woman grandmaster. The 15-year-old received the prestigious title from the International Chess Federation after she won the Arab Women's Championship held at the Sharjah Cultural Chess Club. 'Winning the grandmaster title feels amazing,' Rouda said. 'I was so happy and honestly a bit relieved because all the hard work and training finally paid off, it was one of those moments where it takes a little while to sink in, and I just sat there thinking about how far I'd come. 'Personally, it felt like a huge achievement, that all the effort was worth it, for women's chess in the UAE, it meant a lot too, I hope it shows other girls that they can reach for big goals in chess too, It's all about believing in yourself and working hard,' she added. Rouda now is looking forward to compete in the Asian Individual Chess Championship at the Al Ain Chess and Mind Games Club from May 6 to 15, and the World Youth and Women's Championships in July 2025. 'My goal is to keep improving and eventually earn my grandmaster title, I want to keep challenging myself in top tournaments with the elite chess players, and winning more world championships is definitely something I'm working towards, but right now I'm focused on growing as a player and seeing how far I can go in chess,' she said. Rouda started her chess career at an early age. At just five she won the Asian Championship Under-6 category. In the next few years, her mercurial rise saw her win more accomplishments, including the U-20 UAE Championship, the World Cadets Championship Under-8 in 2017, the World Schools Under-9 in 2018, bronze medal in the Asian Youth Under 14 category, the Jeddah Open Tournament and Arab Women Champion multiple times. She was also been crowned the World Champion in the Solving Puzzles Category C and the West Asian Champion. 'When I was four years old, we had a chessboard at home, and I would play all the time with my family, every day, I would ask my mom to sign me up for a chess club, but when we finally went, it was unfortunate that they couldn't accept me because I was too young. However, my first coach Hisham Al Argha gave me a chance to play with him, and when he saw that I could already move the knight, a piece that many kids take weeks to learn, he was immediately impressed, and he accepted me into the club, and from that moment, my chess journey began. 'I think my passion for chess really clicked during my first tournament. I just enjoyed the challenge and the process of figuring things out over the board, winning was a great feeling, but more than that, I liked how every game was different and how much there was to learn, that's when I knew I wanted to keep going and see how far I could improve,' Rouda said while thanking the UAE Chess Federation for organising tournaments and supporting the ambitions of players, as well as the efforts of the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club in developing the capabilities of all its members through advanced programmes. Significant role Kholood Al Zarouni, chair of the Federation's Women's Committee, thanked the Ministry of Sports, the National Olympic Committee, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club, emphasising that this achievement is the result of cooperation among all sports entities with the federation. She praised the significant role played by the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club in developing players of both genders. Al Zarouni emphasised that the achievement represents a significant morale boost for women's chess, opens the door to further international titles, and motivates young players to continue training and participating. She noted that Rouda is a model of the ideal player who has achieved numerous titles and always aims for greater goals.
