The Bahrain Classical Chess Championship 2026 concluded on Saturday, 20 June 2026, at Khalifa Sports City, following several days of intense competition. The event showcased the continued growth and development of chess in the Kingdom of Bahrain and brought together a large number of participants in a highly competitive atmosphere.
For the first time, the classical championship was split into four categories: Open, Women, a category for the Bahrain Youth Center, and Amateurs, helping spread participation across different levels.
In the Open category, a nine-round Swiss tournament, top seed Hussein Ayad tied for first place with Ali Al Ghasra on 7/9 and clinched the title thanks to the victory in their direct encounter. Three players finished a half-point behind the duo, with Munther Al Fardan taking bronze based on his superior Buchholz score.
Complete final standings – Open
In the Women’s Category, Najla Ahmed claimed the title, while Zainab Al Afu finished as runner-up and Wafaa Yaqoub secured third place. Judy Mansour Al Faraj placed fourth, followed by Sundus Obaid in fifth.
In the Amateur Category, Fahad Fawaz Al Qusaibi came out on top, ahead of Yousif Jamal Bourshaid in second and Abdullah Hizam Abdullah in third. Judy Mansour Al Faraj placed fourth, followed by Sundus Obaid in fifth.
In the Youth Centers Category, Salman Al Shaikh emerged as the winner, followed by Anas Mohammed Yahya in second place and Firas Abbas Abdulshaheed in third. Al Hanouf Rashid Shuwaiter secured fourth place, Luluwa Rashid Shuwaiter fifth, Abdulrahman Hashem Al Koheji sixth, Khalid Salman Al Sindi seventh, Saud Yahya Al Jar eighth, Saud Hashem Al Koheji ninth, and Laila Mahmood Hassan tenth.
The closing ceremony was attended by Ahmed Mohammed Abdulghaffar, Executive Director of Operations at the Bahrain Olympic Committee, and Anmar Ebrahim Ahmadi, President of the Bahrain Chess Federation, along with other federation officials.
Photo: Bahrain Chess Federation