The Jeddah Youth Chess Festival was held from 24 to 30 January in this Red Sea port in Saudi Arabia. It was a celebration of youth, chess and friendship while soaking the culture and hospitality of a welcoming nation that is opening its doors and hearts to chess and all sports. Diana Mihajlova reports.
13-year-old Andy Woodward earned his third and final GM norm in Saudi Arabia with his 6/9 performance at the Jeddah Chess Festival’s Young Masters invitational Round Robin. Woodward finished in a three-way tie for second place, a half-point behind IM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (who beat Woodward in the first round).
A brainchild of Chokri Saidi, a French-Tunisian entrepreneur, the Djerba Chess Festival aims to combine chess, friendship, culture and tourism on the beautiful island of Djerba, the largest island off the coast of North Africa which is also known as the ‘island of dreams’. Furthermore, Saidi has gone a step further in his chess organizing pursuits and, from this year, he is also organizing the prestigious Jeddah International Youth Chess Festival. Diana Mihajlova informs.