Dubai: Dubai Chess and Culture Club will be staging a series of tournaments during the holy month of Ramadan. They started off with Allegiance Zayed Chess Tournament, which commenced on Sunday and will continue till June 25 at the club’s Shaikh Saeed Bin Hamdan Al Maktoum Hall.
Speaking about their upcoming activities, Jamal Al Abdouli, General Secretary of the club said: “It has been the club’s tradition to host various chess competitions as well as religious and cultural activities that are open to members and guests during Ramadan. The Allegiance Zayed Chess Tournament is on its 12th year and is being organised in honour of late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding President of the UAE.”
Najib Mohammad Saleh, Technical & Coaching Director who observes this tournament closely to spot talent said: “This event regularly attracts the best players in the UAE as well as a few titled players from other countries, giving the club’s students an opportunity to test their skills in a high-level competition.”
Plans are also on to host other chess competitions to spread the game at the community level. “We have plans to stage a blitz team tournament that is open to various community groups, chess clubs, companies and other private and government entities. The blitz team tournament is also one of the regular events organized by the club during Ramadan,” he said.
The club will also be organising religious and cultural activities, including an iftar with club members, students, parents, guests and staff, friendly competitions in billiards and table tennis during this month.
Dubai Chess and Cultural Club had recently staged the Arab Elite Chess tournament and Dubai Open Chess Championship with top chess players from different parts of the world competing in these events. Kirsan Illyumzhinov. President of FIDE, had recently attended the final of the Arab Elite Chess tournament and gave away the prizes.
