Doha, February 19 (QNA) - Katara International Ramadan Open Classic Chess Championship will kick off tomorrow, Friday, organized by Qatar Chess Federation, and will run until Mar. 1, featuring 86 players from various age categories.

The first round of the classical chess competition, consisting of nine rounds under the Swiss system (45 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move), will be held tomorrow, with several players listed on FIDE rankings participating.

The total prize fund for the championship is QAR 25,000, with QAR 5,000 awarded to the first-place winner. Additional prizes will be given to the top ten finishers, as well as special awards for the best Qatari players across several age categories, in addition to awards for players from Qatar Chess Federation Training Center.

President of the Qatar Chess Federation, Mohammed Al Mudhahka, said the Katara International Ramadan Championship is one of the key tournaments in the federation’s annual agenda. He noted that the organizing committee has completed all preparations ahead of the competition.

Al Mudhahka added that the championship helps provide Qatari players with valuable experience, given the participation of many ranked players.

He also expressed his gratitude to the Cultural Village Foundation, Katara, for their efforts in ensuring the continuity of the tournament, stressing that the federation seeks to maintain such partnerships and aims to make tournaments like this a regular part of the annual calendar to develop the skills of national team players in preparation for upcoming competitions. (QNA)