Doha: The Katara International Ramadan Open Classical Chess Championship will begin today at Hall 15 of Katara Cultural Village, with 86 players set to compete in a nine-round Swiss format event.
Organised by the Qatar Chess Association (QCA), the tournament will run until March 1. Each round will be played with a time control of 45 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move.
The opening round gets under way tomorrow as players across various age groups vie for honours in one of the federation’s key annual events.
This year’s edition features a strong field, including several players listed on the FIDE rankings, adding further depth and competitive quality to the championship.
QCA President Mohammed Al Mudahka expressed his satisfaction at the continued staging of the tournament, describing it as one of the federation’s flagship competitions.
He confirmed that the organising committee has completed all logistical preparations for the start of play.
Al Mudahka underlined the importance of the event in providing valuable international exposure for local players, particularly through competition against rated opponents.
He also thanked the Katara Cultural Village Foundation for its ongoing support, stressing the federation’s commitment to maintaining strong partnerships and ensuring the tournament remains a fixture on the annual calendar to strengthen national team preparations.
The championship carries a total prize fund of QR25,000. The winner will receive QR5,000, with prizes awarded to the top ten finishers.
Special awards will also be presented to the best Qatari players in various age categories, in addition to dedicated prizes for players from the federation’s training centre.
