Historic First Fujairah World Chess Championship Concludes with Remarkable International Turnout

Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Saif Al Sharqi, Chairman of the UAE Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation, attended the closing ceremony of the inaugural Fujairah World Chess Championship, hosted at the new headquarters of the Fujairah Chess and Culture Club. The tournament brought together more than 600 players representing 75 countries.

Sheikh Abdullah honored the winners across the championship categories:

• Super Stars Category:

  • First place and the championship cup went to India’s Pranav V, scoring seven points.

  • Second place was secured by Jacob Brandon of the United States with six points.

  • Third place went to Mexico’s Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara, also with six points.

• Masters Category:

  • The gold medal and championship trophy were claimed by Hardway Burgenton of the United States with seven and a half points.

  • Umut Ata Akbas of Turkey took silver with six points.

  • Artin Ashraf of Iran claimed bronze with the same score.

• Open Category:

  • Kazakhstan’s Alimazhan secured first place with eight points.

  • David Barkesyan of Armenia earned silver with seven and a half points.

  • Sharif Aliar of Turkmenistan took bronze, also with seven and a half points.

Dr. Abdullah Al Barakat, First Vice President of the International Chess Federation and Chairman of the Organizing Committee, highlighted the remarkable international participation in this first edition. He praised the support of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Sharqi for chess, emphasizing his commitment to nurturing young talent, promoting the game, and positioning Fujairah as a regional and global hub for intellectual sports.

Dr. Al Barakat further noted that the championship aims to reinforce the UAE’s and Fujairah’s leadership in hosting world-class tournaments, enhance the skills of local players and referees, elevate the profile of chess in the region, and attract enthusiasts from around the globe.

The closing ceremony was attended by several distinguished guests, including Ms. Dana Resnis, Vice President of the World Chess Federation; Ms. Tichibuso Le Bank, President of the African Chess Federation; His Excellency Mohammed Al Masoudi, President of the Saudi Chess Federation; His Excellency Taryam Matar, President of the UAE Chess Federation; along with a number of international federation presidents.