Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Abu Dhabi Chess Club celebrated the annual International Chess Day, July 20, with a tournament that attracted the participation of 400 players, showing that the future of the sport looks bright.
Saeed Ahmed Al Khouri, Executive Director at the Abu Dhabi Chess & Mind Games Club, said the UAE capital has strengthened its status regionally in the world of chess through initiatives aimed at nurturing local talent and positioning the sport as an essential element of the emirate's cultural and educational vision.
With a strong focus on youth talent development, the UAE capital could very well produce the next Rouda Al Serkal, the 15-year-old prodigy who made history as the first Emirati woman chess grandmaster earlier this year.
In an interview with Aletihad, Al Khouri said: "The Abu Dhabi Chess & Mind Games Club is a cornerstone of the UAE and international chess movement, given its pioneering role in organising the Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival, which has been held annually since 1991 and is considered one of the largest chess events in the world.
"The last edition of the festival saw the participation of approximately 2,545 players from 67 different nationalities."
To mark International Chess Day this year, the club hosted an international tournament at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) on Sunday, with over 400 players, in addition to a variety of educational activities and competitions.
"We are keen to celebrate International Chess Day by spreading the culture of chess and enhancing its popularity across Abu Dhabi and the UAE," Al Khouri said.
The club also serves as an important vehicle for youth development.
"The club attracts more than 600 members of all ages and genders. In collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the Ministry of Education, we visit schools across the emirate to establish chess clubs under the guidance of international coaches," he explained.
This grassroots investment in talent has already borne fruit.
He added: "Our players have achieved notable international accomplishments. Rouda Al Serkal won the World Chess Championship (8-year-old category) in Brazil in 2018, the World Schools Championship (9-year-old category) in Albania in 2019, the Asian Women's Amateur Chess Championship in 2023, and the Arab Women's Championship in 2024.
"She was the first Emirati woman to earn the title of International Grandmaster and is now ranked among the top 100 female players in the world."
Al Khouri also noted the success of Omran Al Hosani, who has been named International Master and has won numerous national and regional titles, with the club's juniors scooping six gold medals in 2024 alone.
"These achievements reflect the success of our strategic training approach and have significantly increased public interest in joining the club," Al Khouri added.
In its attempt to promote inclusivity, the club has also worked to grow female participation and integrate chess in schools.
"We recently organised the Abu Dhabi Sports Championship for Schools and Universities and are distributing a chess curriculum across schools and universities. Female membership has now surpassed male participation, leading to multiple wins in the women's category, including the UAE Women's Championship."
Technology is also a cornerstone of the club's growth strategy.
"We operate a dedicated online platform with over 1,000 users, offering weekly tournaments and personalised training programs supervised by elite coaches. This modern environment helps players of all ages and skill levels improve continuously."
Furthermore, the club is working to broaden its impact by promoting other mind sports and reinforcing Abu Dhabi's role as a leader in strategic thinking.
"By 2025, we plan to add three more mind games and expand our community of enthusiasts. Chess, after all, is not just a pastime - it is a powerful tool for cognitive growth," Al Khouri emphasised.
He concluded by highlighting chess's key mental benefits, such as strengthening strategic thinking, improving focus, boosting memory, as well as enhancing problem-solving skills.
