KUWAIT: The Qatari chess team has completed its opening two rounds at the Arab Chess Championship, currently taking place in Kuwait with 87 players from 18 countries competing under the supervision of the Arab Chess Federation (ACF). The tournament runs until November 25.
In the classical events, Grandmaster Husain Aziz opened with a loss to Syria’s Agid Miro but rebounded strongly in the second round by defeating Kuwait’s Bader Al Hajri to secure his first point. He will meet Emirati player Mohammed Saeed in the third round.
Grandmaster Hamad Al Kuwari followed a similar path, falling to Morocco’s Yasser Haji in his first match before earning a convincing win over Kuwait’s Hussein Suleiman in round two. His next challenge will come against Iraq’s Ali Laith Al Othman.
In the women’s division, Ghada Al Khulaifi endured a tough start, losing her first match to Egypt’s Jana Zaki and her second to Morocco’s Khadija Al Muteiri. She is scheduled to face Omani player Anah Al Aisaiyah in the third round.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Qatar Chess Association Executive Director Hamad Al Tamimi highlighted the significance of Qatar’s participation, noting that the championship brings together a strong field of male and female players from across the Arab world. He emphasized that the event provides an important opportunity for Qatari players to enhance their international rankings and benefit from the competitive environment across Classical, Rapid, and Blitz formats, as well as the chance to earn international titles.
