From left, Tareq Al Taher, Tournament Technical Director, Asian Chess Federation President Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifah Al Nahyan and Deputy President Casto Abundo.


The top chess clubs of Asian FIDE Zones shall compete in the Asian Club Champions League organized by the Al Ain Chess Club on behalf of the Asian Chess Federation from 20th to 29th June 2014 at the Danat Hotel in Al Ain, UAE.

The tournament, approved by the Asian Continental Assembly, October 2013 in Tallin, Estonia, is sponsored by Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority and Etihad Airways. Representatives of the seven FIDE zones shall be joined by the host club in a round robin all-play-all tournament.

Top seed is the all-GM team of PSPB (India), Petroleum Sports Promotion Board, headed by Krishnan Sasikiran with an average FIDE rating of 2586. Second seed is all-GM team of Tokkata (Kazakhstan) headed by Rinat Jumabayev with an average rating of 2534. Strong challenge is expected from the Shanghai Chess Club (China) headed by GM Zhou Jianchao with an average rating of 2437.

The Tagaytay Chess Club (Philippines) which won the Asian Cities Chess Team Championship last year in Tagaytay, Philippines is headed by IM Rolando Nolte and has an average rating of 2385. 

The Bangladesh Navy Club team follows with an average rating of 2372 and is headed by GM Enamul Hosain. The host Al Ain Chess Club is next, headed by GM A. R. Salem and with an average rating of 2362. The Western Sydney team of Australia follows with an average rating of 2336 and is headed by IM Max Illingworth.

The lowest rated is the Iraq team of Communication Sport Club with 2322 average and headed by IM Saad Sarsam. They won the West Asian zone 3.1 Club Cup last year in Amman, Jordan.

At stake is a total of $20,000 in cash prizes. Chief Arbiter is IA Brian Jones of Australia. Games shall be broadcast live at the official site http://www.ac2014.asianchess.com/.

Here are the participating teams.

India: PSPB - Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (2586)

1. GM Krishna Sasikiran 2669
2. GM Lalith Babu 2561
3. GM S.P.Sethuraman 2576
4. GM Deep Sengupta 2536
5. GM Abhijit Kunte 2482

Kazakhstan: Tokkata – Kazakhstan (2534)

1. GM Rinat Jumabayev 2575
2. GM Anuar Ismagambetov 2519
3. GM Pavel Kotsur 2558
4. GM Rustam Khusnutdinov 2482
5. GM Pyotr Kostenko 2484

China: Shanghai Chess Club (2437)

1. GM Zhou Jianchao 2586
2. IM Lou Yiping 2488
3. WGM Zhang Xiaowen 2383
4. CM Xu Yi 2290
5. Zhang Hong 2169

Philippines: Tagaytay Chess Club (2385)

1. IM Rolando Nolte 2395
2. IM Steven Yap 2419
3. IM Haridas Pascua 2389
4. IM Emmanuel Senador 2337
5. Mari Joseph Turqueza 2272

Bangladesh: Navy Chess Team (2372)

1. GM Enamul Hosain 2424
2. GM Reefat Saatar 2449
3. FM Md Taibur Rahman 2294
4. FM Sheikh Naser Ahmed 2320
5. FM Khandaker Aminul Islam 2277

UAE: Al Ain Chess Club (2362)

1. GM A.R. Salem 2581
2. IM Omar Noaman 2366
3. CM Faisal Abdulla 2270
4. FM Saeed Ishaq 2227
5. FM Ibrahim Khouri 2232

Australia: Western Sydney (2336)

1. IM Max Illingworth 2442
2. IM Gary Lane 2354
3. Karl Zelesco 2274
4. IM Leonid Sandler 2273
5. FM Lee Jones 2105

Iraq: Communication Sport Club (2322)

1. IM Saad Sarsam 2393
2. IM Noah Ail Ali 2334
3. FM Ali Ahmed 2286
4. Ehab Elias 2276