Algerian Jamal Ferhi and Qatari Khaled al-Jamaat claimed the top two places in the 2024 Qatar Rail Chess Championship which concluded at the Al Bidaa Station of Doha Metro on Saturday.
The blitz chess tournament’s finals saw the participation of 20 players played according to the Swiss system of nine rounds. While Jamal Ferhi finished with a tally of 8.5 points, al-Jamaat totalled six points.
Indian Sagan Albin finished third place with six points, while Filipino Ryan Mendoza came in fourth with 5.5 points, ahead of the Kazakh Oleg Em, who had the same number of points.
Among other Qatari players, Khaled Abdul Rahman al-Khulaifi came 16th (3.5 points), Irfan Muhamed 18th (3 pts), and Hamad al-Kuwari in 19th place with 2.5 points. The preliminary rounds took place at the Qatar Chess Training Center last Thursday and witnessed the participation of 80 players.
Mohamed al-Mudahka, President of the Qatar Chess Association, said: “We are proud to collaborate with our partners at Qatar Rail in organizing this successful tournament. We had high expectations for this tournament, considering the significant participation and fierce competition. We appreciate the fruitful co-operation with Qatar Rail and thank them for their continuous support in promoting the game within the community and encouraging people to engage in chess. We look forward to continuing and developing our cooperation in this field and organising more exceptional events.”
Ajlan Eid al-Enazi, Chief of Strategy and Business Development at Qatar Rail stated: “We are delighted to collaborate with the Qatar Chess Association to organize the Qatar Rail Chess Open 2023, on World Chess Day. We are pleased with the high level of participation and enthusiasm shown since the beginning of the tournament. It has been an exceptional tournament on all levels, and we extend our congratulations to the winners. The successful organisation of the tournament enhances our ability to provide diverse community experiences and foster communication among individuals within the metro stations. Our investment in such events reflects our commitment to offering unique travel experiences for our customers within the stations.”
He said: “We remain committed to further enhancing the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram networks as permanent destinations for residents and visitors alike, by organising and hosting various events. These events play a significant role in our strategy to transform the stations to preferred destinations throughout the year.”
