Winners with Imran Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Hisham Al Taher, Rajai N Al Susi and other dignitaries during the presentation ceremony.

Tajikistani Grandmaster Farrukh Amonatov emerged champion following his victory in the thrilling final round as the 29th Sharjah International Rapid Chess Championship concluded on Sunday.

The 29th Sharjah International Rapid Chess Championship was organized by Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club and was held under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

The final round on Sunday marked intense competition between elite chess players until the very end. Amunatov ultimately finished on top and clinched the title.

More than 200 players, including Grandmasters, International Masters, and FIDE Masters, representing 32 countries, participated in the championship held at Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club.

Imran Abdullah Al Nuaimi, the Vice Chairman of Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club’s Board of Directors, and Hisham Al Taher, Secretary General of the Asian Chess Federation, gave away the prizes to the winners.

Nuaimi expressed gratitude to the Sharjah Sports Council for its continuous support of all club activities and events.

Amonatov finished on top of the championship after obtaining an impressive 8 points from nine rounds, with seven wins and two draws.

He was followed by Georgian International Master Giorgi Sibashvili in second place with 7.5 points, and Grandmaster Alexei Barsov of Uzbekistan in third place with 7.5 points as well.

The fourth position went to the Philippines International Master Oliver Dimakiling, followed by the Turkish Grandmaster, Aziz Mert Erdogdu, in fifth place.

In addition to the main prizes, the tournament also featured special prizes for the best Emirati player.

The award for the best players from the UAE went to International Master Ibrahim Sultan from the Dubai Chess and Culture Club and Raji Sayel Abu Azizah from the Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club.

Earlier, the proceedings of the opening round began in the presence of Taryam Matar Taryam, President of the UAE Chess Federation; Nabil Ashour, Director of Support Services Department at the Sharjah Sports Council; and members of the board of directors of the UAE Chess Federation and Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club.

The leading chess players were engaged in fierce competition on the opening day of the championship.

Four players stood out as leaders after the fifth round, having scored five points in a row. Amunatov, the top-ranked player from Tajikistan, led them after he defeated Egyptian Grandmaster Abdel Rahman Hesham.

Amunatov was joined on top by Arencibia Rodriguez Walter, who defeated Turkish player Aziz Mert Edogdu. Igor Miladinovic of Serbia also advanced following his victory over Yemen’s Basheer Al Qudaimi.

The tournament’s arbiter committee was chaired by International Arbiter Faisal Mohamed Al Hamadi, assisted by International Arbiters Salman Al Taher and Amer Al Ali, along with local arbiters Zayed Al Balushi and Talal Al Balushi.

The Sharjah International Rapid Chess Championship is one of the most prestigious chess tournaments in the world, and it attracts some of the top players from around the globe.