OCC launches e-learning platform for club players

The Oman Chess Committee (OCC) has launched a new online initiative on e-learning platform which can provide the right technical training sessions to the domestic team players. The remotely-conducted programme which began on Tuesday aimed to provide the training sessions to more than five junior players in each club and two players from senior level. The OCC had told all the teams to nominate their candidate for the programme which last for one full month. Coach Basheer al Qudaimi is the presenter of the programme. The four-week programme in ‘Zoom’ platform will feature different technical sessions in the first week including the basic rules of chess, technical and tactical methods during the game, opening and closing moves, regular openings and friendly tournaments between the participants. The following week will include remote sessions on games technical analysis, general chess rules and regulations, technical analysis of middle game and a team tournament. The third week will feature online courses on some practical sessions for the last two weeks of theoretical sessions, types of openings and technical strategies. The last week schedule will include mechanisms of taking part in online tournaments, technical analysis of the games of the top ranked players in the world and friendly tournament. Since April and after the stopping of sporting activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, OCC was one of the earliest committees and associations domestically which launched different webinars on online chess tournaments, coaching and umpiring courses besides other chess related courses. The OCC had participated along with other Arab associations and federations in the virtual friendly camps through advanced technology systems. The national chess team players took part in the first edition of the Asian Seniors Online Chess Championships which was held in July. The eight days virtual tournament had targeted the players who are above 50 years and over 65 years. Salim Shimas and Abdul Karim al Balushi had represented the Sultanate team in the Asian event. In August, the OCC utilised the lengthy break due to COVID-19 pandemic, by holding series of virtual courses including ‘Organisation of international chess tournaments’, school chess programme, the general aspects on posting and approving the chess events in the annual calendar, the main policies and regulations for special competitions and championships, the annual awards of the Fide, methodology on submitting the bids to host international championships, the inspection process at the venue of the championships by the Fide committee, the evaluation and submitting process of the bids and invitation, technical instructions of Fide for hosting international championships, guidelines for the disabled and the rules of international classifications and rankings.