In photo are, standing from left, Ahmed Al Fardan, General Secretary of Sharjah Sports Council, Ibrahim Al Bannai, president of the Arab Chess Federation and Dubai Chess Club, Abdul Mohsen Al-Dosari, Acting General Secretary of General Authority of Youth and Sport Welfare of the UAE, Ali Dabbani, former president of the UAE and Arab Chess Federations, Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan, president of the Asian Chess Federation, Ahmad Bu Raheym, Chairman of Public Relations of DU Telecom, and Sheikh Saood Al-Moala, president of the UAE Chess Federation and Sharjah Chess Club, watch the board one between top seed GM Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (Black) and FM Hatam Al-Hadrani of Yemen.

The Zonals are a 9-round Open Swiss system event among 16 players together with a 10-player round robin Women's Zonal. The Zonal was moved from Yemen due to the strife there.

See results and standings for the Open and the Women's event. Watch live games. Visit the Sharjah Chess Club official web site (in Arabic).