Sharjah Masters Chess Championship Begins with 350 Chess Players
Held under the patronage of the Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohamed Al Qasimi, the Sharjah Masters International Chess Championship 8th Edition kicked off on Saturday. The event, conducted by the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club is certain to provide high quality chess competition with the participation of 350 players from 60 countries, including 84 titled players of very high ranks.
International Players to Vie for $75,000 Prize Pool 
The event started with the top board of first round in the presence of senior sports officials that included Sheikh Dr. Khalid Bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club. Prize money to reward top talent The $75,000 prize pool has drawn some of the world’s top chess minds. The first round was mostly the bastion of higher-ranked players, but there were several upsets, including a draw between the 2022 World Rapid Chess Champion, Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan, and India’s S.P. Sethuraman.
Shock Results And Neck And Neck First Round Actions
Tight contest in Sharjah Masters Round 1 The first round of the Sharjah Masters saw tough fight in all categories. There were 19 wins for White and 44 draws in the over 2500 section of the first event. At the same time, In the SRAM Open 2500-and-below section, 59 wins were witnessed and only 23 draws. The third event, containing 1900-1400 players listed 49 contests and 12 draws.
National team member Salem Abdulrahman of the Sharjah Chess Club lost to China’s Dai Changren, while the Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri overcame Kazakhstan’s Rinat Jumabayev. The event, still justifies its claim of super tournament with lots of thrill for the chess aficionados from around the world.
Marque event of the season now hits 160 players, welcoming 5th round leader Hampo to the club The penultimate round of the Sharjah Masters Championship took place on Wednesday, 28 November and the field has swelled from a modest 125 to a torrential 160 players.
Dr. Saif Salem Lakhreibani Al Nuaimi Vice President of the UAE Chess Federation, praised the great success of the eighth Sharjah Masters. He pointed that the event, which has so far reached 350 players from 60 countries after it was launched in 2017 with just 50 participants, has grown exponentially through the years. The professionalism and tradition in running the event are testimony to Sharjah’s commitment to the game of chess worldwide.
This is an intellectual competition and creativity at its best,” Dr. Lakhreibani added. The championship enables players from UAE to interact with the elite grandmasters, enriching their experience and equipping them for big battles on overseas soil. The global broadcast of the event will not only promote the UAE and Sharjah but also the overall chess talent of the world as it draws the best of the best.
6 Conclusion: An International Game of Excellence
The Sharjah Masters Chess Championship has established itself as a major international chess event attracting some of the world’s elite players. The strong prize fund and international flavour of the tournament make it one of the top chess competitions around. The Championship is a once in a lifetime opportunity for fans and players to witness world class action, and in doing so be part of the show.must-watch event in the world of chess.
