It would be difficult to decide what was more exciting at the second edition of the Sahel Chess Festival: the late-summer heat and the beach just outside the hotel, the splendid excursions, the friendships formed among players from twenty federations, or the chess itself.
Most rooms of the official hotel, the four-star El Habib (https://elhabib.hotelmonastir.net/en/) look out onto its grounds and beach
More than 300 participants gathered in Monastir, Tunisia, from 25 to 31 October for the second edition of the Sahel Chess Festival. The event demonstrated that the first edition had been a brave and good move. Its repeated success this year suggests that the festival is well on its way to reaching even greater heights.
The Sahel Chess Festival is run under the auspices of the Tunisian Chess Federation and FIDE. The African Chess Confederation’s Vice President, IA and IO Wajdi Chouari, attended the closing ceremony.
The Festival featured five classical tournaments, played over nine rounds using the Swiss system: Open A, “Élite” (Elo 2000 and above); Open B, “Ascension” (1700–1999); Open C, “Progression” (1500–1699); Open D, “Rising Stars” (below 1500); Open E, “The Path of the Wise”, reserved for seniors aged 50 and above and an Open Blitz tournament.
Sambuev takes the crown
Bator Sambuev is a Canadian Grandmaster originally from Ulan-Ude, the capital of Buryatia, a Russian republic in south-central Siberia. In June 2007, he immigrated to Canada and subsequently represented his adopted country at two Chess Olympiads: Istanbul 2012, where he played on first board, and Tromsø 2014, on fourth board. He has won the Canadian national championship four times.
Arriving in Monastir as the top seed, Sambuev never relinquished his leading position. He went on to win the tournament unbeaten with a round to spare, scoring an impressive 8/9. His only concessions were two draws, against IM Mohamed Ali Boudriga (TUN) and FM Nicolo Casadio (ITA).
From the sixth round onwards, 18-year-old Egyptian IM Wafa Hamed emerged as Sambuev’s closest pursuer. However, having lost their direct encounter, he remained a point behind the leader and eventually secured second place.
Wafa is one of the most promising young talents in African chess. A chess prodigy, he is the reigning African Junior Champion in the Under-20 category, having won the title for the third consecutive year. He also represented Egypt at the latest Chess Olympiad. Chess talent clearly runs in the family: his two older sisters, Shrook and Shahenda, are both Women Grandmasters and highly accomplished players, having won the African Women’s Chess Championship multiple times.
Half a point behind Hamed, Italian IM Valerio Carnicelli claimed third place.
Carnicelli was part of a four-player Italian delegation. He was accompanied in Monastir by FM Nicolo Casadio, WFM Giulia Sala and Valeria Martinelli. Casadio is Italy’s reigning national Youth Champion.
IM Zaur Tekeyev (2424, FID) missed the podium, finishing half a point short. He nevertheless had something to celebrate: victory in the Open Blitz, where he scored 8/9.
Tunisian triumph in Open B
In Open B, two home-grown players claimed the top two places.
Eighteen-year-old Badr Bilel Chabchoub took the lead in the fifth round and never looked back. He finished with an outstanding 8.5/9, adding 75 points to his rating.
The runner-up, Chady Dahmen, had initially been hovering in the middle of the standings, among several players on the same score. However, a remarkable winning streak in the final five rounds propelled him into second place. He finished with 7/9 and gained an impressive 151 rating points.
Libyan player Reda Saleh Aldrsi completed the podium with 6.5/9.
Russian GM Alexander Raetsky gave a 20-board simultaneous exhibition in the hotel’s sunny courtyard.
Local talent Thabet Benzarti attracted the spectators’ attention by skilfully steering his game to a draw.
Young Indian talents are regular participants in international open tournaments. At the Sahel Festival, India was represented by 12-year-old CM Aryan Mehta, who travelled with his coach, GM Farrukh Amonatov (2575, TJK).
Amonatov took the opportunity to play in the Open Blitz, where he scored 7/9.
The mysterious “Mr X” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1kocV97-Yo was revealed as Dutch FM Ramon Koster, who competed in Open A and scored 5.5/9
An international open tournament offers much more than the opportunity to measure one’s strength against players from other countries. For many participants, it is a chance to earn their first international rating, gain valuable rating points or achieve a title norm.
WIM Margarita Potapova (2225, FIDE) has particularly good reasons to remember the Sahel Festival fondly.
Fresh from winning the Russian Women’s Blitz Championship, which had concluded just days before her arrival in Monastir, she continued her winning streak. She finished as the best woman in the tournament, placed sixth overall in Open A and, with a performance rating of 2401, secured a WGM norm!
A festival for the next generation
International open tournaments are magnets for young players everywhere, particularly in places where such opportunities are relatively scarce.
Boys and girls travelled with their parents from all corners of Tunisia and from abroad. For many, it was their first experience of an international tournament, and several succeeded in earning their first international rating.
More than 50 young players were under 16. Of the 45 female participants, 15 were under 16.
Festival sponsor and organiser Hassen Abdelaali with Maram Mami, the best girl U-10 and a “Smarty” (the affectionate nickname given to students of the Smart Chess Academy)
The Smart Chess Academy in Sousse practically closed its doors during the festival, as most of its students headed to Monastir to put their newly acquired skills to the test.
Its director, Dhafer Ktita, who also played a key role in the festival’s organisation, did what he does best under the circumstances: he joined the tournament himself, competing in Open B.
The Sahel Chess Festival is one of the few international open events, if not the only one, to offer a separate tournament exclusively for senior players.
This initiative is particularly appreciated by local chess enthusiasts who have a lifelong love of the game but have rarely had the opportunity to participate in an international tournament. For some, the festival has made something they might never have imagined possible a reality: obtaining an international chess rating.
Moncef Jaballah emerged as the winner of the senior event, scoring an impressive 8/9.
Technical information and fullresults: https://chess-results.com/tnr1435375.aspx
A regional meeting point
Tunisia’s neighbors also benefit enormously from having an international tournament practically on their doorstep.
At both editions of the Sahel Festival, Algerian and Libyan players have turned out in considerable numbers. This year, the Libyan delegation alone comprised 34 participants.
Among them was Mujahid Ahmed A. Almujahid, who entered Open D without an international rating. He went on to win the tournament with an impressive 8/9, achieved a performance rating of 2217 and secured his first international rating.
Prominent Libyan FM Hussein Assabri, one of the highest-ranked players in his country, shared his impressions of the festival:
My impression about the Sahel Chess Festival is very positive, the same as all the players’! I am very grateful for the excellent organization and high level of play. I hope Libyan chess will benefit from the challenge and the opportunity.
Beyond the chessboard
The festival’s programme extended well beyond the playing hall, with two memorable excursions offering participants the opportunity to discover more of Tunisia.
One particularly joyful outing was a boat trip aboard a traditional vessel modelled on a pirate ship. The participants were entertained by animators and joined in lively dancing. The bravest among them even took the plunge, jumping into the warm sea from the boat’s deck.
Video highlights of the boat adventure: https://www.facebook.com/reel/2138358776888277
On a second excursion, participants visited El Jem, the ancient Roman city famous for its magnificent amphitheatre, the largest coliseum in Africa.
Looking ahead: Sousse 2027!
The first two editions of the Sahel Chess Festival should be seen as a prelude to something even bigger: the third edition.
The Sahel is a coastal region in east-central Tunisia, home to several famous tourist destinations and historical sites. (Not to be confused with the much larger Sahel region of Africa, which stretches across the continent south of the Sahara.)
The organisers initially envisaged alternating the host cities. Monastir was the natural choice for the first two editions, offering particularly favourable conditions. For the third edition, however, the decision has already been made: the festival is moving to Sousse!
The choice is not accidental. In 2027, Sousse will mark the 60th anniversary of the legendary 1967 Sousse Interzonal, in which Bobby Fischer participated, attracting considerable attention with both his chess and his famously demanding behaviour.
The 1967 Interzonal is a reminder of Tunisia’s historical connection with international chess. Today’s younger events, such as the Sahel Chess Festival, demonstrate that this connection remains very much alive, reflecting the country’s enthusiasm for the game and its commitment to promoting chess both nationally and internationally.
The friendly atmosphere, sunshine, beach, attractive excursions and excellent organisation go a long way towards compensating for the relatively modest prize fund. But even that may change. Negotiations with potential sponsors are under way, and, if successful, could bring more titled players and a substantially larger prize fund to future editions.
The third edition is tentatively scheduled for 22–30 October 2027.
The Sahel Chess Festival will be waiting for you!
Photos: Sahel Chess Festival