Doha, July 17 (QNA) - The Qatar Chess Association (QCA) announced Wednesday the details of the 2024 Qatar Rail Chess Open Tournament, organized in cooperation with Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail), in the marking of International Chess Day which falls on 20 July.

The preliminary round competitions will begin on Thursday at the QCA training center with the participation of 80 players. The competitions will be held in a blitz chess method of 9 rounds to determine the players who qualify for the final stage.

Next Saturday, the final rounds of the tournament will kick off at Al Bidda station on the Doha Metro with the participation of 20 players who will play according to the Swiss system of 9 rounds.

President of QCA Mohammed Al Madhahka said that the cooperation between the Association and Qatar Rail aims to spread the culture of chess in society.

He expressed his aspiration for further cooperation that contributes to QCA achieving its vision, developing chess, and building a large base for it.

Al Madhahka added in a special statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the conclusion of the tournament will be held inside Al Bidaa station on the Doha Metro to help introduce and spread the game by showcasing it to the public.

The President of QCA explained that these tournaments are organized in line with the Association's strategy to build a generation that will support the national teams and bring the game to foreign spaces.

It will also help in attracting talent and is a valuable opportunity to discover more promising and smart players that would best represent Qatar internationally, he said.

Communication and Public Relations Director at Qatar Rail Abdulla Ali Al Mawlawi expressed his happiness in partnering with the QCA and collaborating in organizing the second Qatar Rail Chess Open Tournament, especially after the great success of the first edition last year.

The tournament comes within Qatar Rail's commitment to promoting community and sporting activities in Qatar, in addition to spreading the culture of chess and encouraging more people to participate in this mind sport, he added.

Al Mawlawi explained that choosing Al Bidda station in Doha Metro to hold the tournament finals is part of Qatar Rail's strategy to enhance the use of the Doha Metro and Lusail Tram stations network and make them ideal places for hosting different community events throughout the year.

He emphasized the importance of continuing cooperation with the QCA to organize similar events that would contribute to efforts made to increase the interest of the public in participating in the sport. (QNA)