The Qatar Chess Association (QCA) announced Tuesday the organisation of the second Qatar Chess Cup from Sept 7-13. In a statement, QCA indicated that the tournament will be held at the Qatar Training Center and will be open to both men and women, with participation limited to Qatari players.
The male's category will be led by International Grandmaster Hussein Aziz, along with a group of Qatari national team players: Khaled Al Jam'at, Irfan Mohammed, Ibrahim Al Janahi, Fahad Al Mansouri, Abdulaziz Al Mahasna, Turki Al Kuwari, Mohammed Al Qassabi, Hamad Al Kuwari, and Saif Ahmed.
The female's category will feature a group of players, including Rawda and Layaan Al Qassabi, Fatima and Asma Al Hammadi, and Aisha and Ghada Al Khulaifi. Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), QCA President Mohammed Al Mudhahka, confirmed that the association has made all necessary arrangements to launch the second edition of the Qatar Cup championship.
The event, which is witnessing a large turnout, aims to increase the popularity of chess among Qatari men and women and create a competitive environment for players. He explained that the championship is part of the association's plans to expand the selection of the best players to represent Qatari chess in upcoming events, as well as to prepare for the international Qatar Masters Open next November.
Al Mudhahka stated that the QCA's Board of Directors approved, during its meetings, the inclusion of this championship in the association's annual competition agenda, in a bid to strengthen the game's base and build a generation that will support the national teams. He noted that the QCA, in coordination with the technical staff of the national teams, has approved the dates for the championship. This will provide all players, from both categories, with the opportunity to assess their performance and gain valuable exposure in preparation for the upcoming Arab and continental events.
