Muscat: The inaugural round of the World Amateur Chess Championship, organised by the Oman Chess Committee in collaboration with the International Chess Federation Fide, reached its thrilling conclusion on Thursday evening. This event, running from November 2 to 11, is being held at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher.
The event commenced with a first move made by Sayyid Said bin Sultan al Busaidy, Under-Secretary for Culture at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth. The first round featured a diverse range of competitions, with players from all over the world demonstrating their skills and passion for chess.
A total of 420 players, competing across three categories, participated in 210 matches during the first round. The competition was intense, with some matches lasting up to four hours, showcasing the players' dedication and strategic prowess.
In the under-2300 category, several notable results stood out. The match between Czech player Peter and Libya's Osama al Talib ended in an exciting draw, demonstrating high-level tactics. Kuwait's Khaled Hashem achieved a crucial victory over Yemen's Saleh al Aqrabi. India's Andikat secured a win against Oman's Mohammed al Saadi, while Sudan's Ahmed Hassan achieved a morale-boosting victory over Filipino player Emerson. Another match ended in a draw between Oman's Rashid al Jabri and Yemen's Khalil Sabeih.
In the under-2000 category, Iran's Mirzi claimed a significant victory over Libya's Sami, while India's Vilafa emerged victorious against Romanian player Oscar. Saudi player Faisal al Harathi celebrated a win against Libya's Mohammed Bashir. The match between Oman's Hamoud al Busaidy and China's Aksio concluded in a draw, while Oman's Salem al Balushi faced defeat against Mexico's Trisa in another intense encounter.
The under-1700 men's category witnessed India's Deepak taking a well-deserved victory over China's Yuan. Oman's Said triumphed against Qatar's Ahmed Saif, and the match between Oman's Abdulrahman al Ahmedi and Germany's Andreas ended in a draw. Oman's Khaled al Hatmi secured an important victory over Kuwait's Faisal al Ghanim, while the match between Oman's Fouad al Ghanami and Sudan's Hussein Sadeq ended in a draw.
In the under-1700 women's category, India's Shabyi secured a victory against Emirati player Noura al Khouri, while Mongolia's Anodari triumphed over Bahrain's Mariam al Mousawi. The match between Oman's Kouthar al Maamari and India's Priyash ended in a draw, and another match ended in a draw between Oman's Al Anoud al Ghafiri and Sudan's Nahla Mohamed. Mongolia's Naranbaad celebrated a well-deserved victory over Bahrain's Sandus Obaid.
These results mark an exciting start to the championship, and the competition is expected to intensify in the upcoming rounds as players strive for victory.
HIGH HOPES
In an interview, Sayyid Said bin Sultan al Busaidy expressed optimism about the World Amateur Chess Championship hosted by Oman in the coming days. He emphasised the important role of this championship in promoting tourism, and the economy, and showcasing the beauty of Oman to the world.
He also stressed the significance of chess as an important intellectual game, offering opportunities for players of all age groups to develop their skills and enhance their intelligence.
Regarding Oman's record-breaking number of participants in the history of the World Amateur Chess Championship, he praised the great efforts made by the Oman Chess Committee (OCC) and expressed hope that this success would continue.
OCC Chairman Ahmed al Balushi highlighted the importance of hosting sports events and their cultural and tourist aspects. He mentioned a
strong focus on hosting such events annually.
Looking to the future, Al Balushi mentioned positive news on the horizon and expressed the committee's eagerness to host more sporting events in Oman. He also praised the technical and organisational efforts in the field of chess, noting the successful hosting of the Asia Chess Cup last year as a significant milestone for Oman. He commended their efforts in presenting Oman's bid to host the World Amateur Chess Championship and overcoming challenges and tough competition.
In conclusion, he expressed pride in Oman's success in attracting the largest number of players from around the world to participate in the championship. He emphasised that this reflects the success of the promotional efforts for the championship and enhances its international standing, expressing hope for continued success and exemplary organisation until the end.
Chess Trainers Workshop
In conjunction with the World Chess Championship, the Chess Trainers Workshop organised by the Omani Chess Committee started on Friday with the participation of 20 male and female trainers. The sessions, which will continue until November 5, are being conducted by international lecturer Ali Abbas and Bashir al Qadimi, coach of Oman national chess team.
The workshop includes various topics, including the principles of learning chess and the importance of the game, methods for discovering talented players, strategic principles for trainees, teaching preventive thinking to players, decision-making on the chessboard, utilising
computers, organising tournaments, ideas for various openings, directing players in openings and defence, psychological role of reading, and preparation.
The workshop continues over its three days with a number of practical and theoretical sessions focusing on training methods for different age groups, talent selection, educational techniques for openings, plans, final positions, and beginner-related playing strategies and all aspects related to the game of chess.
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