MUSCAT: The Ammar bin Yasser School team, representing the Sultanate of Oman, is participating in the World Schools Chess Championship, hosted by the USA from August 3 to 8. The tournament features an elite lineup of school teams from across the continents, with hundreds of talented students competing in chess.
The team prepared for this participation through an intensive training programme under the supervision of the national chess team coach, Captain Basheer al Qadeemi. The programme included advanced training on tactics and strategies in both offensive and defensive positions, as well as practice on various opening systems and smooth transitions into middle and endgame stages. The camp also focused on mental and psychological aspects, with sessions dedicated to analysing international games and playing trial matches to simulate the championship atmosphere. These efforts aimed to raise the players’ readiness and instil confidence to handle the pressures of competition.
Oman is represented in this championship by five players: Khalid al Kalbani, Khalid al Tashkeeli, Al Hassan al Shamli, Abdulaziz al Hinai and Dawood al Shamli, led by national coach Hamdan al Hinai, who accompanies the team to provide technical and on-site support during the competition, offering guidance to the players throughout the rounds.
“Over the past period, we have worked to elevate the players’ levels in all technical and mental aspects. We focused on tactical and analytical elements that give them the ability to handle various situations on the board,” national coach Hamdan al Hinai said.
“The players have shown great commitment and enthusiasm to represent Oman in the best way. Our goal in this participation is not only to compete for results, but also to gain valuable international experience by facing outstanding players from different countries. This championship is an important milestone to assess the players’ levels and determine the next steps towards bigger tournaments,” he added.
Player Khalid al Kalbani said, “Participating in the World Championship is a big dream for us. We trained hard and made great efforts over the past period, and we feel proud to represent Oman. We will do our best to achieve good results, but the most important thing is to gain new experience that will help us in the upcoming tournaments. We know the competition is strong, but we are confident that the intensive training we went through will put us in a better position for the challenge.”
This participation reflects the commitment of the Oman Chess Committee and the Oman School Sports Federation to support and develop student talents by providing opportunities to compete at high levels. The championship is considered a golden opportunity for players to develop their skills and refine their experience in a highly competitive international environment.
Oman’s delegation looks forward to achieving positive results, relying on the players’ commitment and high spirit during training, as well as the technical staff’s dedication to monitoring and analysing each round thoroughly. Participating in a world championship of this magnitude also provides the team with organisational and cultural experience through exposure to different playing styles and the exchange of expertise with teams from international schools.
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