WFM Kholood Al Zarouni Wins UAE Ramadan Chess

Kholood Al Zarouni

ABU DHABI — UAE’s Kholood Al Zarouni won the women’s open chess championship title in the 16th Armed Forces Officers Club Ramadan Sports Festival at the club premises late on Tuesday night. Kholood won the title following a Fide tie-breaker after she and her sister had finished as joint leaders with 6.5 points each. The Ramadan Sports Festival is being held under the patronage of Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Presidential Affairs. Kholood defeated Clara Wajeeh of Egypt in the final round, while sister Ayesha defeated top seed Huda Al Najjar of Syria.

India’s Anchal Gupta finished third with five points followed by Huda Al Najjar. India’s Fatima Rehuma was fifth after all three players collected 5 points each.

Grand Master Ehsan Ghaem Moghami of Iran won the chess masters open championship in the 16th Armed Forces Officers Club Ramadan Sports Festival at the club premises, late on Tuesday night.

Moghami settled for a draw with India’s Johny Pi in the last round but that was enough for him to seal the title.

Moghami finished with eight points from nine rounds after defeating fellow Grand Master Sergey Kayumov of Uzbekistan in the eighth round on his way to the title. Five players finished joint second with seven points. But after applying the Fide tie-breaker, International Master Fouad Al Taher of Egypt finished second followed by Kayumov.

India’s Johny Pi was fourth with Syrian Suhail Al Sukary in fifth. UAE’s Faisal Kishwani finished sixth.

In the Under-14 tournament, UAE’s Saif Idris won the title via a tie breaker after he and compatriot Sultan Al Zaabi finished with 6 points each.

Khalil Zuhair of Palestine also needed a breaker to win third place from UAE’s Saif Al Darmaki after both collected 5 points each.

Posted in: ayesha,clara wajeeh,huda al najjar,kholood al zarouni,ramadan chess