JEDDAH: A Saudi national women’s chess team and academy to develop talent in the game is in the works, according to a member of a Saudi sports body.
Al-Jawhara Al-Hasan, a member of the Saudi Mind Sport Committee, said that 15 women have been recruited to be the first professional coaches in chess in the Kingdom.
This first step will then be followed by the creation of a women’s chess team to represent Saudi Arabia. An academy to nurture budding talent will also be established.
A blitz chess event sponsored by the body recently attracted 27 female participants in Jeddah. The amateur tournament, which was running for a second time this year due to popular demand, did not involve professional coaches, but was instead aimed at developing the sport, Al-Hassan said.
Hala Hasan won the competition at Mira Hotel with Haia Jalal and Dalia Al-Sumairi coming in second and third places, respectively. The tournament was a five-round format with a 10-minute time control for each match.
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