Sheikh Saud, Lewis Ncube, Ragai Al Susi and other dignitaries hold virtual discussion on the sidelines of the Youth Chess Championships.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Arab Chess Federation hosted its annual Youth Chess Championships 2020, in the age categories of U-20, U-18, U-16, U-14, U-12, U-10, U-08, U-6, for boys and girls.

These 16 age categories were played online through chess platform www.LiChess.org, due to COVID-19 precautionary and preventive measures in place.

In the opening ceremony held recently, the president of the Arab Chess Federation and Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club, Sheikh Saud Bin Abdulaziz Al Mualla launched the event and welcomed the respective federation presidents, officials, players and coaches and wished them all the best in their efforts.

Also welcoming the president of the African Chess Confederation Lewis Ncube, Sheikh Saud invited him to visit Sharjah and visit the Headquarters of the Arab Chess Federation and Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club.

Ncube accepted the invitation and both sides agreed that a close cooperation should take place between the two sides.

Both Sheikh Saud and Ncube also agreed to exchance technical expertise and hosting some friendship chess tournaments.

The Sharjah Cultural and Chess Club is the biggest chess club in the world.

Under the guidance and the approval of the club’s president Sheikh Saud, the Sharjah International Chess Academy organises and participate in a huge number of chess and cultural activities in the country and also worldwide.

With the assistance of Chief Arbiter IA Faisal Al Hammadi and the GM Efstratios Grivas, the 21 federations and more than 1000 players took part in the event. Out of which 372 players qualified for the finals of different categories.