OCC, Z-Corp host chess tournaments in Nizwa

MUSCAT: To promote the game of chess among students, the Zubair Corporation (Z-Corp) in association with Oman Chess Committee organised a chess tournament and training programme for students in Nizwa. The closing ceremony of the training camp and championship organised at the Zubair chess centre was held in the presence of Yahya bin Darwish al Balushi, General Manager of INMA, real estate development company.

The camp which was held for two consecutive days in Nizwa followed the successful organising of a similar programme in Zubair chess centres in Suhar, Muscat and Ibri recently. The next training camp and tournament will be held in the Zubair chess centre in Dhofar. In under the general category, Hamood bin Mohammed al Busaidi was the winner.

In under-16 category, Anas bin Masood al Darwishi won the first place, Ahmed bin Khalid al Hadidi took the second place and Zakarya bin Khamis al Nofli secured the third place.

In under-14 category, AbdulRahman bin Khalid al Zedjali won the first place, Suhaib bin Faisal al Rubaei finished second and Hamood bin Younis al Rashdi claimed third.

In under-12 category, Wisam bin Mohammed al Muqbali captured the first place, Hasan bin Khalil al Balushi secured second spot and Abdulraman bin Tariq al Yahmadi finished third.

In under-10, Abdullah bin Bashir al Qudaimi won top honours, Mohammed bin Hamed al Mahrooqi was second and Jihad bin Hamed al Harassi was third.

The competition followed the principles of the Swiss System and each category had to play nine rounds of chess, at 20 minutes plus 10 seconds per move.

Yahya bin Darwish al Balushi said, “The chess tournaments and training camps organised in Nizwa witnessed a high level of competition which reflected the efforts that has gone into popularising the game of chess in Oman. As a member of the private sector, The Zubair Corporation is keen on supporting the country’s sports development since it believes it is an area of vital importance in the national development process.”

He added, “Z-Corp’s support to Oman Chess Committee has contributed significantly to the develop the talents of young people in the chess game. This has helped in discovering a generation capable of competing in local and international championships. The tournaments have contributed to achieving many of the goals of the Omani Chess Committee.”

Praising the achievements of Zubair Chess Centre, Ahmed bin Darwish al Balushi, Chairman of the OCC, said, “The Zubair Chess Centres have established a high reputation in their respective areas and have seen great demand from interested players. We are pleased with the response from the participants and players in all the governorates. We would also like to appreciate the efforts exerted by the referees and trainers in these centres. The efforts of Z-Corp have helped in finding a new generation of players who are ready to represent the Sultanate in international platforms.”