Sharjah 24: National team and Sharjah Club player, Salem Abdul Rahman, achieved an important victory, in the eighth and penultimate round of the Masters competition in the Sharjah International Chess Championship after defeating his Czech competitor, Engwin Tai, in an exciting match, enhancing his chances of winning the title.

Sheikh Majid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Head of Sharjah Department of Suburbs Affairs (SDSA), opened the eighth round of the tournament, organised by Sharjah Chess Club, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. The tournament will conclude on Thursday.

The round was attended by Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Humaid Al Qasimi, President of the Arab Chess Federation and Chairman of Sharjah Chess Club; Tarim Matar, President of the Emirates Chess Federation; Faisal Al Naboodah, Director of the Marketing Department at Sharjah Cooperative; Imran Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sharjah Chess Club; and a number of federation presidents and officials of the Arab National Federations and the UAE National Federation.

Iranian top seeds, Daneshvar Baradiya, and American, Sam Shackland, tied in the same round. The top seed, Indian Arjun Eregaisi, tied with Serbian, Alexei Sarana, Iranian Amin Tabatabai and Aiden Soleimanili from Azerbaijan. Indian, Aravinda Chitambaram, suffered an impressive loss from Russian Morzin Volodar, as it was his second in a row in the tournament.