Muscat: The 1st Design Group FIDE International Chess Tournament got off to a flying start with players from Pakistan, Philippines, Yemen, Oman, India and Egypt participating at the Panaroma Mall.
The tournament was inaugurated by Pankaj Khimji, director of Khimji Ramdas, chairperson of the Oman Cricket and also the vice-president of Asian Cricket Council.
The first match was between 12-year-old Akshat Dang and IM Basheer Quadaimi of Yemen. The 7th standard student from Indian School Muscat ran the highly acclaimed International Master very close in a Sicilian defence game. The young lad impressed one and all with his tenacity. The vast experience of Basheer saved the day for him in the end.
On the second board there was a battle royale that took place between thirteen-year-old Akshobhya Damodar Katti of Indian School Muscat and the second seed Hamood al Busaidy of Oman. The game was a long drawn out war of attrition in the g3 Sicilian. Akshyobhya for a long time withstood the positional pressure from his experienced and higher rated opponent before finally succumbing.