The 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum
Doha: The 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum Under-12 Rapid Chess Championship, organised by the Qatar Chess Association (QCA), will be held tomorrow.
The Championship is organised as part of a series of promotional tournaments in the lead-up to the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Championships that Qatar will host at the end of December.
The event will feature 40 boys and girls. It will be played in a rapid format using the Swiss system, with the top finishers decided after five rounds.
QCA Chief Executive Officer Hamad Mohammed Al-Tamimi said the tournament has drawn a large field of players from various nationalities. He noted it comes within a series of events ahead of December’s World Championship and as part of the federation’s plan to achieve several goals, chief among them spreading a chess culture in the community.
Al Tamimi expressed his hope for more cooperation with bodies and institutions across the country, which will help the federation realize its vision, develop chess, and build a broad base for the sport.
He said these tournaments are valuable opportunities to discover more promising players and widen the pool for selecting the best to represent Qatar in overseas competitions.
QCA CEO Hamad Mohammed Al-Tamimi
Al Tamimi concluded by praising the partnership between the Association and the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum in organizing a championship for this age group and supporting efforts to encourage people across society to practice the sport.
For his part, Abdulla Yousef Al Mulla, Director of the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, expressed his delight that the museum is hosting the Under-12 chess championship under its partnership with the federation. He said it is a unique opportunity for everyone to play inside a museum that houses some of the most important sporting artifacts.
Al Mulla added that the museum supports sports that form a key part of Qatari society. Chess has developed greatly in recent years and enjoys wide attention through the staging of major events and the attraction of world stars to Doha. There is strong anticipation for the World Championship to be held in Qatar in December.
“This event reflects the mission of the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, which is to research, collect, educate, and share the story of global and Qatari sport in an engaging and accessible way. Through its participatory spaces and carefully planned programs, the museum seeks to inspire the community, involve it, and encourage the public to take part in sport and physical activity.” Al Mulla concluded.
