25 April 2023
Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy is pleased to announce the 5th Fatima bint Mubarak Blitz Chess Tournament for Ladies.
Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairperson of the General Women's Union, Supreme President of the Family Development Foundation, Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, Chairperson of Family Development Foundation and Mother of the Nation, the organising committee of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy is pleased to announce the 5th Fatima bint Mubarak Blitz Chess Tournament for Ladies.
The tournament will be held at the Abu Dhabi Energy Centre on Sunday, April 30, 2023, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Sports Council and the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club. It will be held using a Swiss system consisting of 7 rounds and will be open to all nationalities, girls, and the new category for juniors both girls and bys aged 12 years and under.
FBMA has allocated financial prizes for the winners amounting to "40,000" dirhams, in addition to other prizes for the best players in various categories. Nearly 100 male and female players have already registered for the tournament.
HE Talal Al Hashemi, FBMA board member, expressed his appreciation for the continuous support and patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairperson of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy and Chairperson of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain Ladies Club.
He emphasised that the tournament is worked off in accordance of FBMA's vision to spread the game of chess, especially since the previous editions achieved great success at the organisational and technical levels, with the participation of nearly 100 players from 31 nationalities.
HE Al Hashemi further stated that this support has had a significant and positive impact on the academy's efforts to empower women in the sports field and encourage them to participate in sports activities, establishing sports as a way of life within a competitive environment that safeguards their privacy.
He also highlighted that the Academy's annual tournaments reinforce the United Arab Emirates and Abu Dhabi's position as a leader in organizing international women's tournaments with high levels of professionalism and adherence to best practices. It is renowned for hosting the largest chess tournaments and events annually under its umbrella.
HE Hussein Abdullah Al Khouri, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club, conveyed his appreciation to the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) for their valuable contribution in supporting this esteemed project and fostering partnerships among affiliates. He emphasized that chess is gaining significant momentum and popularity across the country, and the Abu Dhabi Chess and Mind Games Club is committed to advancing the sport through strategic collaborations with legal entities, public interest organizations, and associations.
Ms Shamsa Al Hanaee, Head of the Media Department at the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, highlighted an exciting new feature in this year's tournament.
“For the first time, the tournament has opened registration for the junior category (girls and boys) in order to facilitate communication and engagement between different generations in the game of chess,” she said.
“This initiative aims to provide young players with valuable experiences and opportunities to develop their skills at an early age.”
Ms Al Hanaee emphasised that the Abu Dhabi Sports Council is committed to supporting chess tournaments and collaborating with the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Sports Academy to continue the growth and progress of women's sports in the UAE and extended the entity's best wishes for success to all participants in the tournament.