3/25/2019 – The Sharjah Masters 2019 is one of the strongest open tournaments in the world. With a total prize fund of $60,000 and the first prize of $15,000, they have been able to attract some of the strongest GMs in the world. There are 35 GMs and 35 IM taking part in this tournament. After three rounds we have five leaders: 14-year-old Nihal Sarin, Alexander Fier, Ernesto Inarkiev, Le Quang Liem and Eduardo Iturrizaga. Niklesh Jain is at the venue and sends us a detailed report.

1/4/2018 – The very first junior U-20 international open chess tournament in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates is being held from December 29th to January 7th, 2018. Under the auspices of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Al Ain Chess & Culture Club the tournament has attracted top young talent from Armenia, India, Iran, and Uzbekistan. | Pictured: The ceremonial first move made by H.E Sheikh Salem BalRakkad AlAmeri | Photo: Enkhtuul Altan-Ulzii

9/9/2015 – Do you know who the strongest siblings in the world are? Who is the ten-year-old kid who has already reached 2300? Which GM has beaten an ex-world champion in a match, has played over 600 people in a simul and is soon to finish a PhD? (Hint: he is not from a western nation, India or China). All this and more in form of pictures and stories in our final report from the capital city of the UAE.

9/8/2015 – If you wish to end the year playing in a very strong tournament, with many grandmasters, IMs – or simply chess lovers, then from 22nd to 30th December, Al Ain is the place to be. The 3rd edition of the Chess Classic promises to be bigger and better and just like the previous two editions. Al Ain, known as the ‘Garden City’ for its oases, parks and trees, invites you to enjoy its famous hospitality.

9/2/2015 – The Women's section of the Asian Continental Championships 2015 in Al Ain brought quite a bit of fighting chess and was decided in a very tense and dramatic final round. The winner was a 22-year-old WIM from Iran, who was hoping for good result but never expected Gold. Mitra Hejazipour tells us how it felt and and annotated a key game for us.

8/24/2015 – The Asian Continental Championships 2015 were held from the 2nd to the 10th of August 2015 in Al Ain, UAE. Five qualifications spots from the open section for World Cup 2015 and one for the women for World Cup 2016 were at stake along with a total of US $75,000 (50,000 for open and $25,000 for women) in prize money. It was won by host nation's only grandmaster.

7/28/2015 – The European continent is a hotbed of strong open events taking place throughout the year. What are the other options for participating in a good tournament? The perfect location for players all around the world to participate is the Middle-East, perhaps in the 22nd Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival which will take place from the 23rd to 31st of August 2015.

4/13/2015 – The Dubai Open is in its final stages with just two rounds left, and the event is heating up. Vladimir Fedoseev and Alexander Shabalov are leading jointly with a score of 6.0/7, followed by a pack of seven on 5.5. In round six the tournament was marred when it was discovered that the two-time Georgian Champion Gaioz Nigalidze had been cheating with a smartphone hidden in the toilet.

4/11/2015 – Not the ones in our thumbnail, but David Howell, Nils Grandelius and Yuri Solodovnichenko, all with perfect 4.0/4 scores. Sagar Shah, our reporter in Dubai, tells us what it is like to face a stronger player, equipped with precise calculation and sense of initiative: 'When you lose and you don’t really know where you went wrong it means that there is something to be learnt from that game!'

4/8/2015 – Over the years the Dubai Open has established itself as one of the strongest open tournaments in the world. This year the event witnesses the participation of 150 players from 43 countries, with 39 grandmasters, 22 of whom are rated above 2600. The overall rating average is 2182. We have a reporter in Dubai who has provided a big illustrated report from the tournament venue.

6/26/2014 – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has currently become the hub of chess in Asia. After successfully conducting the Asian Continental 2014 and the world rapid and blitz 2014, the country is now holding the Asian Chess Clubs Champions League in Al-Ain, the second largest city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, from the 20th-28th of June 2014. Report after round four.