Third edition of Qatar Masters Open chess championship started at the iconic Lusail Sports Arena on Wednesday

At the legendary Lusail Sports Arena on Wednesday, the third iteration of the Qatar Masters Open chess competition got off to a great start. Magnus Carlsen, the top-ranked player in Norway and clear favourite to win the Doha championship, had a successful start to his campaign. The five-time world champion Super Grandmaster overcame a delayed arrival in Qatar to defeat 17-year-old Indian IM LR Srihari in just 23 moves. He was defending his title from the competition's last Doha edition in 2015.

The competition was preceded by a short opening ceremony. Many luminaries were present, including HE Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, the Minister of Sports and Youth of Qatar, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovic, QCA President Al Mudahka, and his Emirati equivalent Taryam Matar Taryam.

Japanese Hikaru Nakamura, the second-seeded player in Doha, had a successful tournament debut. In a tight match, he prevailed over Vantika Agarwal of India. India's IM Kushagra Mohan beat Russian GM Vladimir Fedoseev, while IM Nubairshah Shaikh held top-seeded D Gukesh to a draw.

There are over 250 men and women competing in the 10-day competition, representing 45 different countries worldwide. India will be sending the largest team to Doha, consisting of 76 players. Twenty-five thousand of the $108,250 total prize money are set aside for the winner. The runner-up will receive a cheque for $15,000, while the third-place winner will receive a $10,000 bonus.

Twelve men from Qatar are competing: Ahmed Saif, Ahmed Al Khunji, Ahmed Firdaus, Fahd Al Mansouri, Hamad Al Kuwari, Mohamed Al Khayyat, Turki Al Kuwari, Mohamed Al Subaie, Amer Al Hammadi, and Tamim Al Ghanem.

Asma Al Hammadi, Fatima Al Hammadi, Rawda Al Qasabi, and Kholoud Al Khulaifi are the other four women from Qatar competing.

With the 2023 tournament held after a long break, Qatar has captivated the attention of the chess world, according to Hamad Al Tamimi, Director of Qatar Masters and Executive Director of the QCA.