1st Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival Hosts Record 3,000 Players from 82 Nations
ABU DHABI, August 14, 2025 – With the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the 31st Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival takes place from August 15 to 24, 2025, at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort, Abu Dhabi Corniche.
Hosted by the Abu Dhabi Chess & Mind Games Club with the patronage of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the festival gives out total prizes worth AED 500,000 and boasts the highest participation in its history with over 3,000 players across 82 nations up from more than 500 last year.
The 27-tournament calendar covers all ages and abilities, topped by the world-renowned Masters Tournament, and adds three new mind sport tournaments: checkers, dominoes, and Chess960 (Fischer Random Chess), broadening the festival’s reach to a global community of mind game fans.
The country’s finest such as Imran Al Hosani West Asia Youth Champion, Arab Youth Champion, and an UAE Men’s Champion — and Roza Issa Al Serkal will also be among the participants to be joined by international luminaries like top-seed Sanan Sjugirov and second seed Arkadij Naiditsch. The national team has also included several champions in different age categories such as Ammar Al Sderani, Ahlam Rashid, Abdulrahman Al Taher, and Hamad Al Kaaf.
In addition to world-class competition, the festival will showcase Abu Dhabi’s cultural and tourism offerings, with organized tours allowing visiting delegations to explore the UAE capital’s landmarks and heritage, reinforcing its status as a premier global destination for sport and culture.
verified from sources:wam