Lichess Protection
Persevering with our cooperation with Sharjah for a second yr operating, we’ll livestream the video games on Twitch and YouTube each day from 17 to 25 Could, together with stay digicam feeds!
Commentary might be offered by our most important host, GM Toms Kantāns, and our co-hosts: IM Irene Sukandar (Rounds 1 and a pair of) and WIM Silvia Raluca Sgîrcea (Rounds 3 to 9).
However, for those who solely have time for summaries — ensure to regulate our homepage feed and social media channels, in addition to our broadcast web page to observe and analyse the video games everytime you need.
Schedule
Spherical 1 begins at 12:00 UTC on 17 Could. All different rounds begin day by day at 11:00 UTC till 25 Could.
Prize Fund
This version of the Sharjah Masters has one of many largest prize funds within the occasion’s historical past, with a complete of $75,000 USD throughout each sections — a rise of $10,000 from 2024, and an additional $10,000 enhance from 2023!
The winner of the Masters takes house the lion’s share of $15,000 USD.
Lineup
The World Quantity 6 participant — GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov — is that this yr’s prime seed. He’s joined by fellow 2700+ rated gamers, GM Anish Giri and GM Parham Maghsoodloo.
They’re joined by fifteen 2600+ rated gamers, together with GM Sam Sevian, GM Amin Tabatabaei, European champion GM Aleksandar Indjic, house favorite GM Salem Saleh, GM Leon Luke Mendonca, and GM Niko Theodorou.
One other 60 extraordinarily sturdy and promising gamers spherical out the lineup — together with GM Zhu Jiner who was just lately so dominant within the FIDE Ladies’s Grand Prix — wonderkid IM Faustino Oro, US prodigy GM Andy Woodward, and final yr’s winner of the Sharjah Challengers, IM Divya Deshmukh.
High Gamers
#1 Seed: Nodirbek Abdusattorov
One of many brightest abilities of chess gamers born after 2000, Abdusattorov grew to become a Grandmaster at 13 and has rapidly risen to one of many strongest gamers on the planet. In 2021, he grew to become the youngest participant — solely 17 — to win a World Championship title (on this case the Speedy World Championship, beating the report previously set by GM Magnus Carlsen). Notable for his dynamic, thrilling and aggressive play, Abdusattorov has wonderful possibilities of at some point turning into a Candidate or Classical World Champion.
GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov
Picture: Lennart Ootes / FIDE
#2 Seed: Anish Giri
Giri is a legend of chess. Often known as a strong and conservative participant, his fashion ensures he hardly ever loses, but additionally generally doesn’t convert when he ought to. Already a veteran of Candidates Tournaments (2016, 2020), and at his peak being world quantity 3, simply shy of 2800, reveals Giri’s energy.
GM Anish Giri
Picture: Stev Bonhage / FIDE
#3 Seed: Parham Maghsoodloo
No stranger to Sharjah, Maghsoodloo has beforehand received the Sharjah Masters in 2018, when he was simply 17 years previous. One other participant born post-2000, he had a meteoric ascent inside chess, reaching a 2742 score in 2023. Since then, his kind has been a bit shaky, dipping under 2700, however he confirmed wonderful kind on this yr’s Reykjavik Open, successful it undefeated. He additionally remained undefeated within the Austrian Bundesliga, which tipped him again over 2700. Maghsoodloo is clearly in good kind for the time being — however he might be dealing with a better calibre of opponent in Sharjah.
GM Parham Maghsoodloo
Picture: Anna Shtourman / FIDE
As traditional, the Sharjah Masters has a particularly sturdy area and predictions are all the time tough. Abdusattorov, practically 40 Elo factors forward of the second seed, ought to be the favorite — however upsets are all the time potential.
