Doha: An exceptional roster of internationally acclaimed players is set to headline the fourth edition of the Qatar Masters Open, scheduled to take place from December 2 to December 13 at Aspire Zone, as announced by the Qatar Chess Association (QCA).
The organizing committee is in the final stages of preparation for the tournament, which has previously been held in 2014, 2015, and 2023.
In an exclusive interview with the Qatar News Agency (QNA), Mohammed Al Mudahka, President of the Qatar Chess Association, confirmed that this year’s event will feature 100 players from 25 different countries, with a total prize fund of $108,000.
Al Mudahka mentioned that registration will close tomorrow, and the tournament will showcase top-ranked competitors, including Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who is currently ranked sixth in the world and was the runner-up in last year’s competition, noted for his remarkable performances in prior editions. Furthermore, his fellow countryman, Nodirbek Yakubboev, the reigning champion, will also participate, alongside Iran’s Parham Maghsoodloo, who was ranked seventh in last year’s tournament, and India’s Dommaraju Gukesh, who holds the eighth position globally.
Qatar will be represented by Grandmaster Hussein Aziz, while UAE champion Salem Abdulrahman, who received the Best Arab Player award in the last edition, will be making his fourth appearance in the tournament. Additionally, Egyptian player Adham Fawzy has confirmed his participation.
Al Mudahka added that the tournament will feature prominent female players as well, with the world’s top-ranked woman, India’s Divya Deshmukh, confirming her participation, alongside compatriot Vantika Agrawal.
He pointed out that World Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway, who competed in the previous three editions, will be absent due to scheduling conflicts with multiple international events.
Al Mudahka explained that the absence of some top-ranked players is due to the World Championship taking place in Singapore at the same time.
