Sunday 18 / January / 2026
MUSCAT: The Muscat Nights International Chess Championship continued to deliver high levels of excitement and competitiveness with the conclusion of the third day of play (Round 4), in what is considered one of the strongest editions in the region.
Players from different schools of chess and varying levels of experience faced off across the boards, turning the battle for the top positions into an open contest in both the Above 2000 and Under 2000 categories, amid close point margins and the difficulty of settling many matches early.
Above 2000 category
Round 4 featured decisive encounters that directly impacted the overall standings. The match between Indian player Aniyan and Turkish player Akbas Umut Ata ended in a draw, allowing both players to remain among the leading group and reaffirming Akbas as one of the most consistent names at the top. Another closely contested game saw India’s Leon Luke Mendonca draw with Iran’s Radin Yadegar in a tactically cautious encounter marked by balanced positions, keeping Yadegar firmly in the title race.
Among the standout results, Egyptian Grandmaster Ahmed Adly secured an important victory over Belarusian Kirill Stupak, successfully managing the key transitions of the game and capitalizing on critical moments. Turkish player Adar Tarhan also claimed a valuable win against France’s Loic Travadon, adding a significant boost to his tally and underlining his readiness to continue pressuring the leaders.
By the end of Round 4, the race at the top had become even tighter, with several players tied on 3.5 points, led by:
Akbas Umut Ata (Turkey), Pa Iniyan (India), Pranesh (India), Radin Yadegar (Iran), Ahmed Adly (Egypt), Adar Tarhan (Turkey), and Mikhail Mozharov (Russia).
This congestion at the summit means that even a minor slip in the upcoming rounds could completely alter the shape of the title race.
Under 2000 category
In the Under 2000 category, Round 4 produced clear and decisive results. Most notably, Uzbekistan’s Shakhnoza Sabirova defeated Iran’s Seyed to maintain her steady progress among the leaders. Syrian player Laith Mulhem also recorded an important win over Iraq’s Jaafar Shlaka, strengthening his position at the top of the standings. Meanwhile, Iran’s Farhoud Fathi Tavani overcame Oman’s Emad Al Balushi in a closely fought encounter that swung back and forth before tipping in favour of the Iranian player.
On the Omani front, Ahmed Al Makhamari continued his positive momentum with a valuable victory over Saeed Fadel, placing himself firmly within the chasing pack close to the leaders. Another Omani player, Abdulmalik Al Sabti, drew with Palestine’s Radwan Mahmoud in a tactically disciplined match that limited opportunities and made a draw the logical outcome for both sides.
In the standings after Round 4, a leading group of five players emerged with a perfect score of four points:
Laith Mulhem (Syria), Farhoud Fathi Tavani (Iran), Shakhnoza Sabirova (Uzbekistan), Ali Khalaf (Kuwait), and Mohammed Al Humaidan (Al Zaabi) of the UAE.
Immediately behind them is a large group on 3.5 points, including the Omani duo Ahmed Al Makhamari and Abdulmalik Al Sabti, along with Mohammed Khalfan Al Saeedi, keeping the battle for the top positions wide open ahead of the decisive stages of the championship.
What stands out in Round 4 is that the tournament has clearly entered a phase where details make the difference: a single draw can drop a player several places, while one win can propel another into medal contention. In the Above 2000 category, the crowded summit at 3.5 points promises even more tension and excitement in the rounds to come, while the Under 2000 category confirms that the competition is not dominated by a single name especially with several players maintaining perfect scores and an Omani presence capable of closing in further if points continue to be collected at the right time.
