Wednesday 21 / January / 2026
Muscat: The 2026 Muscat Nights International Chess Championship continued to deliver high technical standards and growing excitement as Round Six concluded, featuring strong clashes on the top boards in both the Over 2000 and Under 2000 open categories. Close point margins marked the round among a group of leading international players.
In the Over 2000 Open category, the top five boards witnessed fierce battles among world-class players. On board one, Indian Grandmaster Pranesh M secured an important victory over International Master Adar Tarhan of Türkiye, raising his tally to five points and maintaining a strong presence at the top of the standings.
On board two, India’s Iniyan Pa drew with Egyptian Grandmaster Adham Fawzy in a well-balanced encounter characterised by tactical caution, earning half a point each and taking both players to 4.5 points.
Board three saw Egyptian Grandmaster Ahmed Adly draw with Iranian FIDE Master Radin Yadegar, as both players maintained their high technical level and stayed within reach of the leading positions.
On board four, Russian Grandmaster Mikhail Mozharov defeated Syrian FIDE Master Aram Sheikh Khadr, recording his fifth win and moving up to five points, strengthening his position among the leaders.
Meanwhile, on board five, Indian International Master Mayank Chakraborty continued his impressive form with a key win over Turkish Grandmaster Umut Ata Akbas, also reaching five points and reinforcing his title ambitions.
Following the conclusion of Round Six, five players emerged at the top of the Over 2000 category. Indian Grandmaster Pranesh, M led the standings, followed by Grandmaster Mikhail Mozharov, then Indian Grandmaster Mayank Chakraborty. Egyptian Grandmaster Ahmed Adly occupied fourth place, while Egyptian FIDE Master Adham Fawzy sat fifth with 4.5 points, reflecting the intensity of the competition and the close level among the elite contenders.
In the Under 2000 Open category, the competition continued to produce strong performances. Humaid Al Zaabi of the United Arab Emirates topped the standings with 5.5 points from six rounds, demonstrating consistency and the ability to secure crucial results.
Second place was claimed by Candidate Master Asim Elobeid of Sudan, also on 5.5 points, while Egyptian player Medhat Magdy followed in third with the same score after a series of balanced performances.
The category also witnessed a standout women’s performance, as Uzbek player Shakhnoza Sabirova placed fourth with 5.5 points, underlining the strong presence of women’s competition in the championship. Syrian player Laith Mulhem rounded out the top five with five points, following a string of positive results.
Side programs enrich the championship experience
As part of the accompanying activities of the Muscat Nights International Chess Championship, the Oman Chess Committee organized a sightseeing tour for participating players, which included visits to some of Muscat Governorate’s most prominent cultural and tourist landmarks, such as Mutrah Souq, Al Alam Palace Square, the National Museum, and the Royal Opera House Muscat. The initiative aimed to introduce participants to Oman’s rich cultural heritage and add a cultural and tourism dimension to the sporting event.
In addition, the committee organised friendly football matches for players on the outdoor artificial pitch at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher after the daily rounds concluded. This initiative helped strengthen bonds of friendship and communication among participants and created a positive social atmosphere beyond the chessboard.
