The Abu Dhabi Chess Club and Mind Games, established in 1979, is dedicated to nurturing young talent and developing the UAE’s future grandmasters. With a diverse membership of over 600 players from various nationalities, the club has been actively promoting the sport in schools and the broader community. Led by chairman Hussein Abdullah Al Khouri, the club aims to cultivate a new generation of chess players, with the goal of producing two to three grandmasters by the time Abu Dhabi hosts the Chess Olympiad in 2028.
The club’s coaches have been training hundreds of children, resulting in a significant increase in Emirati players and multiple tournament victories. According to Al Khouri, the game of chess is accessible and affordable for parents, making it an ideal activity for the younger generation. The club’s efforts have paid off with the success of grandmaster Salem Abdulrahman Mohamed Saleh, the UAE’s top player and a member of the Sharjah Cultural Chess Club.
One of the club’s major initiatives is the Abu Dhabi Chess Festival, which has gained international acclaim since its establishment in 1991. The festival includes various tournaments catering to players of all levels, with a prize pool of Dh450,000 and a record participation of more than 2,200 players from 82 countries. The festival offers categories for international masters, open, junior, blitz, events for people of determination, families, ladies, seniors, academies, communities, government departments, and educational institutions.
The support of the UAE leadership and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council has been instrumental in placing the festival on the global chess map. Today, the Abu Dhabi Chess Festival is a highlight on the FIDE calendar, attracting many international players, including 60 grandmasters competing for supremacy. The festival has also garnered attention from the FIDE centenary celebrations, with federation president Arkady Dvorkovich set to attend the event. The festival not only provides a competitive platform for young players but also showcases the UAE’s commitment to promoting the sport of chess on a global scale.
