Muscat Nights Chess: Top Contenders in Tight Race

Muscat, JAN 18
The Muscat Nights International Chess Championship continued to deliver high-level competition as the fourth round concluded with the race for the top spots remaining wide open in both the Above 2000 and Under 2000 rating categories.
Above 2000 category
Round 4 featured pivotal matches that reshaped the standings, most notably the draw between India’s Pa Iniyan and Türkiye’s Akbas Umut, as well as the draw between India’s Leon Luke Mendonca and Iran’s Radin Yadegar. Both results kept the players firmly within the leading group.
Among the standout victories, Egypt’s Ahmed Adly defeated Belarusian Kirill Stupak, while Türkiye’s Adar Tarhan claimed an important win over France’s Loic Travadon, reaffirming his strong presence in the title race.
By the end of the round, the top of the standings was tightly packed on 3.5 points, shared by Akbas Umut Ata, Pa Iniyan, Pranesh, Radin Yadegar, Ahmed Adly, Adar Tarhan, and Russia’s Mikhail Mozharov, setting the stage for even more tense and decisive rounds ahead.

Under 2000 category
In the Under 2000 category, Round 4 produced clear and decisive results, highlighted by Uzbekistan’s Shakhnoza Sabirova defeating Iran’s Seyed.
Syria’s Laith Mulhem recorded an important win over Iraq’s Jaafar Shlaka, strengthening his position at the top of the standings, while Iran’s Farhoud Fathi Tavani overcame Oman’s Emad al Balushi in a closely contested encounter that eventually swung in the Iranian player’s favour.
On the Omani front, Ahmed al Makhmari continued his positive progress with a valuable victory over Saeed Fadel, while fellow Omani Abdulmalik al Sabti drew with Palestine’s Radwan Mahmoud in a tactically disciplined match that limited opportunities and made a draw the logical outcome for both players.

After Round 4, five players maintained a perfect score of four points: Laith Mulhem (Syria), Farhoud Fathi (Iran), Shakhnoza Sabirova (Uzbekistan), Ali Khalaf (Kuwait), and Mohammed al Zaabi (UAE). Immediately behind them is a large group on 3.5 points, led by several players including Omanis Ahmed al Makhmari and Abdulmalik al Sabti, along with Mohammed bin Khalfan al Saeedi, keeping the race for the top positions wide open ahead of the decisive stages.
The course of the round confirmed that the championship has entered a phase where fine margins are decisive: a single draw can change several positions, while one win can propel a player into medal contention. International arbiter Ruqayya Al Balushi said the championship is a valuable technical and organisational experience, highlighted by the participation of around 270 players and the presence of numerous international masters. She noted the increase in Omani participation compared to the first edition, describing it as a positive sign of the game’s growing local base, and expressed her hope to see Omani players on the podium, particularly with the evident improvement in performance.