AR Chess Academy Dominates E-Sports World Cup Festival in Riyadh

The AR Chess Academy had a standout showing at the E-Sports World Cup Festival held at Boulevard City, with two of our own clinching first-place titles in a thrilling chess event hosted live by the Saudi Arabia Chess Federation.

The festival brought together top talent from across the region, making the victories especially sweet for AR Chess Academy.

Abdelrahman Hesham — 1st Place (Open Tournament)

Grandmaster Abdelrahman Hesham brought home gold in the Open tournament, defeating Grandmaster Mohamed Haddouche, Fide Master Samhouri and many other strong players in the process. GM Hesham scored an impressive 6.5/7 and +12 rapid rating. One of AR Chess Academy's coaches, Fide Master, Sameh Sadek placed third in the same event!

Ezz Bassri — 1st Place (Schools Tournament)

Rising talent Ezz Bassri topped the Schools tournament, representing the next generation of Saudi chess excellence. Ezz scored a convincing 4.5/5 and +27 rapid rating.

The event got some great attention online. The Saudi Chess Federation tweeted about it - and we couldn't be prouder:

The strong performances by Abdelrahman Hesham and Ezz Bassri are a testament to the academy’s growing impact on the national chess scene. As AR Chess Academy continues to nurture talent and promote competitive chess in Saudi Arabia, events like the E-Sports World Cup Festival highlight the importance of creating platforms where young players and seasoned professionals alike can shine.

With momentum on our side and a passionate community behind us, this is only the beginning.