Three chess players tied for first place in Sharjah Masters

Sharjah24: Following the competition's fifth round, three players—each with four points—are presently leading the Sharjah International Masters Chess Championship, which is run by the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club.

Aleksandar Indjic of Serbia, Anish Giri of the Netherlands, and Dai Changren of China are at the top of the leaderboard. A member of the UAE national team and the Sharjah Chess Club, Salem Abdulrahman, drew with Sava Vitušin while playing under the International Chess Federation (FIDE) flag. Meanwhile, a tie of 3.5 points exists between 13 players, while 14 players are currently on 3 points.

The top boards were dominated by draws; on board one, Anish Giri drew with Aleksandar Indjic. On board two, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, the tournament's top seed, and Adam Kozak of Hungary drew again. Elham Amar of Norway and Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran drew. Amin Tabatabaei of Iran lost to Dai Changren of China on board four, the first victory. All boards recorded a total of 20 draws in this round.

Issa Hilal Al-Hazami, the chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council; Hussain Abdullah Al Khouri, the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club; Omran Abdullah Al Nuaimi, the chairman of the championship's organising committee; and Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Humaid Al Qasimi, the chairman of the Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club, attended the opening board matches of the fifth round.

With 350 players from 60 nations, Issa Hilal Al-Hazami confirmed that the competition has a global aspect. According to him, the eighth edition's record-breaking attendance is a result of the exceptional work of the championship's working teams, members, and the club's board, which is headed by Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Humaid Al Qasimi. He continued by saying that everyone has a big obligation to keep up this high level of organisation, which is comparable to international chess events.

He also emphasised the championship's many organisational, administrative, and technological advantages, as well as the priceless experience it provides national staff. Additionally, the competition takes place during the Year of Community in 2025. The Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club's participation in so many different countries is in line with the subject of the year. Since the championship is televised in several languages to a worldwide audience, the event also acts as a major marketing platform for the United Arab Emirates and the Emirate of Sharjah, highlighting its cultural and tourism appeal.