India’s Syed leads Katara Ramadan Chess Championship

India’s Syed Abdul Khader has taken the lead after two rounds of the Katara International Ramadan Open Classic Chess Championship, being held at the Hall of Building 15 at the Cultural Village Katara. The tournament, featuring 90 players from 22 countries, will run until March 15.
Khader has 2 points, the same as compatriot Balanandan Ayyappan, but the latter is ranked second due to a tie-breaker. Philippines’ Ryan Mendoza is in third place, while India’s Albin Sajan is fourth. The competition, consisting of 9 rounds, is played under the Swiss system (60 minutes per player, plus 30 additional seconds per move). In Sunday’s fourth round, the top four players are expected to face off in direct confrontations.
Among the Qatari players, Khaled al-Jumaat is in 7th place after securing his second win, defeating India’s Sikar Kirutish. Irfan Mohammed is in 9th place after defeating his national teammate, Ibrahim al-Janahi. Lian al-Qassabi is in 17th place following her second consecutive victory over Hamad al-Kuwari. Turki al-Kuwari, who defeated India’s Sarvanan Advaith, is ranked 16th. Fahad al-Mansoori lost to India’s Sumith S., and Ahmed Saif was defeated by India’s Jawahar Bharathan. Rawda al-Qassabi lost to Jordan’s Muawiya Mubarak.
A total of 13 players from Qatar’s national teams, across various age groups, are participating in the tournament. The event also features several players ranked by the International Chess Federation (FIDE).
Mohammed al-Mudhahka, President of the Qatar Chess Association (QCA), expressed satisfaction with the performance of Qatari players in the early rounds. He emphasised that the next phase of the tournament will include more competitions and international matches aimed at further developing the players’ skills and enhancing their experience.
Al-Mudhahka also reiterated the QCF’s commitment to developing its players and ensuring their continued success in future events. He expressed gratitude to the Public Institution for Cultural Village, Katara, for its ongoing support of the tournament and its efforts to promote the culture of chess in Qatar.