Doha: The Katara International Ramadan Open Classical Chess Championship, organized by the Qatar Chess Association (QCA), successfully concluded with the participation of 86 players from various age groups.
QCA President Mohammed Al-Mudahka, along with , Deputy General Manager of the Katara Cultural Village Foundation Saif Saad Al-Dosari awarded the prizes to the winners in the presence of QCA Executive Director Hamad Al-Tamimi.
Indian player Alpin Sajan claimed first place with 7.5 points, while his compatriot Tanvesh Reddy secured second place with 6.5 points. Kazakh player Abilai Suranchev finished third with the same score (6.5 points) but placed lower on tiebreak (number of moves), and Indian player John Jobsi came fourth with 6 points.
In the Qatari players category, the following awards were presented:
- Hamad Al-Kuwari – Best Qatari Player
- Asma Al-Hammadi – Best Qatari Female Player
- Irfan Mohammed – Best Qatari Player Under 18
- Khalid Al-Jumaat – Best Qatari Player Under 14
- Mohammed Jerbi – Best Qatari Player Under 10
Additionally, Adam Al-Hamdoushi won the Best Player award from the Qatar Chess Training Center.
The classical chess tournament consisted of 9 rounds played under the Swiss system with a time control of 45 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move. It attracted several titled players from the FIDE rating list.
The total prize fund reached 25,000 Qatari Riyals, with the champion receiving 5,000 Riyals. Additional prizes were awarded to the top 10 finishers, best Qatari players across various age categories, and standout performers from the Qatar Chess Federation’s training center.
Al-Mudahka expressed his satisfaction with the excellent competitive atmosphere and high level of play shown throughout the event. He highlighted the strong competition among all participants and noted the tournament’s great success in achieving its goals, particularly with significant participation from national team players.
السيد/ سيف سعد الدوسري، نائب مدير عام كتارا ومدير إدارة الموارد البشرية، يكرم الفائزين في بطولة #كتارا الدولية المفتوحة للشطرنج 2026، بالتعاون مع الاتحاد القطري للشطرنج، وبحضور عدد من المهتمين.
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Al-Mudahka emphasized the importance of such tournaments in providing valuable experience to Qatar’s national team players and helping raise their international rankings. He expressed hope that continued organization of international events will further develop Qatari talents and enable them to make a stronger impact in future external competitions.
He concluded by thanking the Katara Cultural Village Foundation for its substantial support and efforts in ensuring the tournament’s ongoing success.
Meanwhile, Al-Tamimi stated that the championship maintained its usual high standard across all nine rounds. He reaffirmed the Qatar Chess Federation’s strong commitment to this event and expressed confidence in its continued excellence through the excellent partnership with the Katara Cultural Village Foundation.
Al-Tamimi also announced that the Federation is preparing several upcoming tournaments, including the Sports for All Championship (in cooperation with the Qatar Sports for All Federation), the Rail Championship, and participation in the School Olympic Program at the end of the current month.
The Katara Championship is one of the flagship events on the Qatar Chess Federation’s annual calendar. Over the years, it has played a key role in discovering and nurturing promising chess talents, significantly contributing to the development of Qatar’s national teams across all age categories.
