MUSCAT: The participants from around the world have arrived in the Sultanate of Oman to take part in the 2023 World Amateur Chess Championship, which kicks off at 4 pm on Thursday under the auspices of Said bin Sultan al Busaidy, Under-Secretary for Culture at Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth.
The tournament is organised by Oman Chess Committee (OCC) in collaboration with the International Chess Federation Fide and takes place from November 2 to 11 in the main sports hall at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher.
Many delegations from participating countries arrived on Wednesday, some of which will continue arriving on Thursday morning. For the first time in the history of the championship, a record number of participants totalling 427 players representing 64 different countries are participating in the tournament. The tournament will witness a significant presence of the heads of Fide, Asian, Arab and other international chess federations.
The tournament follows the Swiss system with 9 rounds, with each round lasting 90 minutes with 30 seconds added to each move. The competitions are managed by 19 international referees, headed by Malaysian Abdul Hamid bin Abdul Majeed. The referee committee includes members from Iran, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Iraq, the UAE, Kuwait, and the Sultanate of Oman, and the committee witnesses a great diversity of experiences and backgrounds.
To provide an exceptional experience, cultural and entertainment events will be held on the sidelines of the tournament, including excursions for participants to explore the landmarks of the Sultanate of Oman. These events also include an international coaching course that coincides with the tournament period. The committee organises daily activities dedicated to schools and children in the morning period to attract about 100 children daily.
On Thursday, the OCC in cooperation with the Oman Educational School Sports Association organises the activities of the School Chess Festival, which targets more than 1,000 male and female students in the first-year classes, representing nine educational directorates of the governorates. The winner of the School Festival will have the honour of representing the Sultanate of Oman in the World School Chess Championship.
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