(MENAFN– The Peninsula)

QNA

Doha, Qatar: An elite lineup of world-renowned players will headline the fourth edition of Qatar Masters Open that will begin on December 2 and continue through December 13 at Aspire Zone, announced Qatar Chess Association (QCA).

The organizing committee is finalizing preparations for the tournament, which was previously held in 2014, 2015, and 2023.

In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), President of the Qatar Chess Association, Mohammed Al Mudahka, confirmed that this year’s tournament will see participation from 100 players representing 25 countries, with a total prize pool of $108,000.

Al Mudahka noted that registration closes tomorrow, and the tournament will include top-ranked players such as Uzbekistans Nodirbek Abdusattorov, ranked sixth globally and runner-up in last year’s event, known for his impressive results in previous editions. Additionally, his compatriot, Nodirbek Yakubboev, the reigning champion, will compete, as well as Iran’s Parham Maghsoodloo, ranked seventh in last year’s tournament, and India’s Dommaraju Gukesh, ranked eighth in the world.

Qatar will be represented by Grandmaster Hussein Aziz, while UAE champion Salem Abdulrahman, who won the Best Arab Player award in the previous edition, will make his fourth appearance in the tournament. Egyptian player Adham Fawzy has also confirmed his participation.

Al Mudahka added that the tournament will feature prominent female players as well, with the world’s top-ranked woman, India’s Divya Deshmukh, confirming her participation, alongside compatriot Vantika Agrawal.

He pointed out that World Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway, who competed in the previous three editions, will be absent due to scheduling conflicts with multiple international events.

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.

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