Elite Lineup of World-Renowned Players to Headline Fourth Edition of Qatar Masters Open
Elite Lineup of World-Renowned Players to Headline Fourth Edition of Qatar Masters Open
Doha, Qatar: The highly anticipated fourth edition of the Qatar Masters Open is set to kick off on December 2 at Aspire Zone, with an elite lineup of world-renowned players confirmed to participate, announced the Qatar Chess Association (QCA).
The organizing committee is putting the final touches on preparations for the tournament, which has previously been held in 2014, 2015, and 2023.
In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), President of the Qatar Chess Association, Mohammed Al Mudahka, revealed that this year’s event will feature 100 players from 25 countries, competing for a total prize pool of $108,000.
Among the top-ranked players set to showcase their skills are Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, ranked sixth globally and last year’s runner-up, as well as reigning champion Nodirbek Yakubboev. Iran’s Parham Maghsoodloo and India’s Dommaraju Gukesh, ranked seventh and eighth respectively in last year’s tournament, will also be in attendance.
Representing Qatar will be Grandmaster Hussein Aziz, while UAE champion Salem Abdulrahman, who claimed the Best Arab Player award in the previous edition, will be making his fourth appearance. Egyptian player Adham Fawzy has also confirmed his participation.
Notably, the tournament will also feature top female players, with India’s Divya Deshmukh, the world’s highest-ranked woman, and Vantika Agrawal set to compete.
However, World Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway will be absent from this year’s event due to scheduling conflicts with other international competitions.
Al Mudahka explained that the absence of some top-ranked players is due to the World Championship taking place in Singapore at the same time.
Chess enthusiasts and fans alike can look forward to witnessing intense battles and strategic gameplay as the Qatar Masters Open promises to be a thrilling and competitive event.