Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival 2025 Set to Break Records
Abu Dhabi is poised to host the 31st Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival from 15th to 24th August 2025 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahyan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council. The prestigious event, organised by the Abu Dhabi Chess & Mind Games Club and supervised by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort, Abu Dhabi Corniche, offering a total prize pool of AED500,000.
This year’s edition will mark a significant milestone as the festival welcomes the largest number of participants in its history—over 3,000 players from 82 countries. This figure represents an increase of more than 500 participants compared to previous years, solidifying Abu Dhabi’s position among the world’s leading chess festivals and placing it ahead of many renowned international tournaments.
The 2025 festival will feature 27 tournaments, catering to a variety of age groups and skill levels. The event will be headlined by the Masters Tournament and, for the first time, will introduce competitions in checkers, dominoes, and Chess960 (Fischer Random Chess). This expansion underscores the festival’s commitment to diversity and its growing appeal to a broader mind games audience.
Among the top stars representing the UAE are Imran Al Hosani—West Asia Youth Champion, Arab Youth Champion, and UAE Men’s Champion—and Roza Issa Al Serkal. They will be joined by a lineup of international chess elites, including Masters Tournament top seed Sanan Sjugirov and second seed Arkadij Naiditsch. Other UAE representatives include Ammar Al Sderani (national champion), Ahlam Rashid (Arab Girls Champion), Abdulrahman Al Taher, and Hamad Al Kaaf.
Beyond the chessboard, the festival enriches its program with cultural and tourism activities, offering visiting delegations opportunities to explore Abu Dhabi’s landmarks and cultural heritage. This unique combination highlights the Emirate’s status as a global sport and tourism destination.
Team V.4-EM-UAE
