The Abu Dhabi Sports Council has proved that it is two steps ahead of the game with the launch of an online chess initiative to keep the community engaged while adhering to the UAE’s “stay at home” order.
Held in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Chess Club, the initiative is comprised of two digital chess tournaments (one for professionals and one for UAE residents), to take place between Wednesday, April 8, and Wednesday, April 15. Participants can play the matches on a computer or mobile device and stand a chance to win big cash prizes.
Here’s what you need to know about the two tournaments:
The Stay Home Abu Dhabi Chess Tournament:
This online event is open to UAE residents only and will take place daily at 7pm from Wednesday, April 8, until Monday, April 13.
How to register
1. Create an account on chess.com.
2. Search for Abu Dhabi Chess Club on chess.com and join.
3. All players must send the following information to adchess@eim.ae via email:
- Their Emirates ID or Residence visa
- Name
- Contact Number
- Home address
Regulations
1. The event will be played in the Grand Prix system with five tournaments in the cycle.
2. Each tournament will be held on the Swiss System of 11 rounds.
3. Time control for each game will be three minutes + one second increment.
4. Top 24 players (according to chess.com tiebreak) from each edition will receive points determining their overall score.
5. Top 24 players according to the number of points accumulated will qualify to Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Final to be held on Monday, April 13. Players must play minimum three editions to be eligible for qualifying in the final.
The first place winner of the Stay Home Abu Dhabi Chess Tournament wins Dh10,000, the second place winner gets Dh5,000 and the third place winner gets Dh3,000. Those in the fourth-to-24th position get Dh1,000 each.
Abu Dhabi Super Blitz Challenge
The Abu Dhabi Super Blitz Challenge will take place on Wednesday, April 15, at 9pm. Participation is limited to international title holders registered through www.chess.com (this includes Grand Masters, International Masters, Fide Masters or National Masters). You do not have to be a UAE resident to take part.
The event has already seen some distinguished chess players from all over the world confirm their participation – and more than 500 players are expected to join.
Organised under the supervision of the Abu Dhabi Chess Club, the event will take place at 9pm and will be broadcast on chess.com/TV and Twitch.tv/chess.
Need any more motivation to participate? The prize for first place is $5,000 (Dh18,360), second place is $3000 (Dh11,000) and third place is $1,500 (Dh5,500).
Regulations:
1. Participation is limited to international title holders registered through www.chess.com
2. The tournament will be played under Swiss format of 12 rounds with the top four players to qualify for a knockout stage.
3. The knockout stage will be played over two games.
4. There will be a half-hour break before starting the knockout stage.
5. Time control will be three minutes + one second increment after each move.
A few more ground rules
Participants are allowed to take part in both tournaments as long as they meet the criteria.
All registrations must be done through the chess.com website.
It is forbidden to use assistance from electronic devices during the game and the match rate will be automatically checked through chess programmes via the website. Participants must check devices and internet connections before the tournament starts. All participants must be ready through the site 10 minutes before the start of the tournament.
For more information, email adchess@eim.ae. May the best chessmaster win.
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Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
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Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
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(Esperance won 6-5 on penalties)
Esperance: Belaili 38’
Guadalajara: Sandoval 5’
The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
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