Viswanathan Anand to join Fide's centenary celebrations in Abu Dhabi

Legendary Indian grandmaster Viswanathan Anand will be a part of the International Chess Federation's (Fide) centenary celebrations in Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

Anand, along with other global and Arab chess icons and executives, will attend the event which will start at 5:30 pm in Marina Mall, Abu Dhabi.

As part of the celebrations, the authorities will organise exhibition matches in Marina Mall where Egyptian grandmaster Ahmed Adly will play simultaneously against 15 chess players.

Similarly, another simultaneous game will be played between the Qatari Federation president and grandmaster, Mohammed Al Mudahka, and 15 chess players.

There will also be a torch relay, a tradition that the Fide 100-year ceremony has carried out across regions around the world. Moving from 12 global chess capitals starting from Chennai, Paris, Abu Dhabi and Bucharest, which will host the 2024 Chess Olympiad.

“Abu Dhabi is glad to host the Fide 100 years ceremony and to be part of the 12 capitals around the world that got this honour," Hussein Khoori, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Chess Club, told the Khaleej Times.

"Abu Dhabi is the global capital of chess and the host of the best players from all around the world. Bringing the torch here is a testament to that.”

Fide turned 100 on July 20, and to celebrate its 100th anniversary, it has called upon chess players and federations to participate in a world record for the largest number of chess games played in a day.

Chess clubs around the Emirates responded to this call and took part with 2104 chess games, contributing to the international record.

“We have responded to Fide’s call by organising a tournament with 168 players from 19 different countries," said Saeed Khouri, Abu Dhabi Chess Club's chief executive.

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