Mohammed Khalfan Al Saidi Wins 13th Oman Individual Chess Championship

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The 13th Oman Individual Chess Championship took place from March 26 to April 2, 2026, at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat. Organized by the Oman Chess Committee, the event featured nearly 100 players competing for the National title and a place in the national team for the upcoming Chess Olympiad 2026.

The championship used a 9-round Swiss system. The main incentive for the participants was the selection of the top 10 players, who will now move on to represent Oman in international chess tournaments.

The competition was closely contested among the top seeds, including several FIDE-titled players. However, Mohammed Khalfan Al Saidi finished at the top of the table to become the 2026 Oman Chess Champion.

The final rankings were decided by a clear margin at the very top. Al Saidi won the tournament with a one-point lead over his closest competitors, finishing with a total of 8 points. Behind him, a group of four players tied with 7 points each, separated only by tie-break criteria.

The event saw a significant turnout of 90 players, including many young unrated participants. This participation highlights the Oman Chess Committee’s efforts to involve a new generation of players in the national competitive scene.

Final standings – Oman Chess Championship 2026:

Rk.		Name	Rtg	Pts.
1		Al Saidi, Mohammed Khalfan	1892	8
2	CM	Al Kathiri, Mana	1875	7
3	FM	Salim Mohammed, Salim Al Amri	1980	7
4		Al Amri, Mahad	1715	7
5		Mohammed, Al Ryami	1828	7
6		Al Hosni, Khalfan	1808	7
7		Al Jabri, Rashid	1799	7
8	CM	Al Busaidi, Hamood	1954	6.5
9		Al Sabti, Ahmed	1607	6
10		Al Mamari, Said Ahmed	1762	6
11		Al Mamari, Mohammed	1640	6
12		Al Darwashi, Usama	1756	6
13		Qatan, Said Mahad	1719	6
14		Said, Ahmed Ali Jidal Fadhil	1823	6
15		Al Mamari, Ali Abdullah	1767	6
16		Al Balushi, Rashid Ali	1599	6
17		Al Balushi, Said	1699	6
18		Al Dhiyabi, Mohammed	1687	6
19		Al Hasani, Thabit	1664	5.5
20		Al Sawafi, Abdulrhman	1551	5.5
21		Al Hamrashdi, Ali	1720	5.5
22		Al Balushi, Emad	1806	5.5
23		Al Amari, Mohammed	1809	5.5
24		Al Aisaee, Anat	1699	5.5
25		Al Bakri, Ziyad Saleh	1565	5
26		Al Sabti, Wadhah	1596	5
27		Al Mamari, Khalid Ahmed	1550	5
28		Al Jabri, Zakariya Saif	1548	5
29		Al Rawahi, Abdulrahman	1515	5
30		Al, Harasi Saif	1709	5
31		Al Sawafi, Abdul Malik	1736	5
32		Shamas, Salim Ahmed	1743	5
33		Al Mamari, Imran	1681	5
34		Al Balushi, Mohammed Ahmed	1540	5
35		Al Handhali, Mazin	1574	5
36		Al Ghafri, Esahaq Khalid	0	5
37		Al Riyami, Saeed	0	5
38		Al Balushi, Salim	1609	4.5
39		Al Sabti, Abdul Malik	1744	4.5
40		Al, Mamari Mohammed Salim	1709	4.5
41		Bait Said, Ali	1615	4.5
42		Al Balushi, Khalid	1607	4.5
43	FM	Al Maashani, Amer	1994	4
44		Al Mayahi, Nizar	1457	4
45		Al Shereiqi, Nasir	1540	4
46		Al Masheki, Abdislam	1810	4
47		Al Riyami, Majd	1489	4
48		Al Maani, Luqman	1445	4
49		Al Harrasi, Taher	1426	4
50		Al Busaidi, Anwar Ali	1409	4
51		Al Yahmedi, Abdul Rahman	1504	4
52		Al Ghafri, Haitham Khalid	0	4
53		Al Ghafri, Azzan Khalid	0	4
54		Al Sulaimi, Khalid Mohammed	0	4
55		Al Saadi, Ahmed Hilal	0	4
56		Shimas, Said Issa	1714	3.5
57		Al Kindi, Said	0	3.5
58		Al Mughaizwi, Muna	1576	3.5
59		Al Yahmadi, Anas	1639	3
60		Al Lamki, Azzan	0	3
61		Al Hooti, Mansoor	1562	3
62		Al Hinai, Arwa Abdullah	0	3
63		Al Mujaini, Mohammed Khalid	1467	3
64		Al Ghafri, Mohammed Khalid	0	3
65		Al Mamari, Ghassan	1499	3
66		Al Lamki, Anas	0	3
67		Al Sabbari, Anas Mohamed	0	3
68		Al Hakmani, Fahad Khamis	0	3
69		Al Busaidi, Mohammad Ahmed Abdullah	0	3
70		Al Ofi, Mohammed	0	3
71		Al Ofi, Yaseen	0	3
72		Bait Said, Manaf Salim	1660	2.5
73		Al Hinai, Gusen Hilal	0	2.5
74		Al Zuhimi, Abdullah	1540	2
75		Musallam, Salim Al Aamri	1913	2
76		Al Hinai, Hilal Badar,	0	2
77		Al, Jabri Ahmed Humaid	0	2
78		Al Ofi, Imarn Yousuf	0	2
79		Al Bulushi, Omar	1454	2
80		Al Maqbali, Saif	1535	1.5
81		Al Abdali, Issa Saleh	0	1
82		Al Bahlouli, Ayman	0	1
83		Al Hinai, Al Makhatar Sulaiman	0	1
84		Al Hinai, Mohammad Al Dhiya,	0	1
85		Al Amri, Wadhaah	0	1
86		Al Alawi, Ammar Mohammed	0	1
87		Al Mandhari, Mohammed	1687	1
88		Al Humaidi, Majid Mohamed	0	0
89		Al Mazrouai, Mohammed Jamal	0	0
90		Al Mukhaini, Abdullah Nasr	0	0
91		Al, Hadi Ahmed	0	0
92		Al Khusaibi, Junaid Mundhir	0	0
93		Al Hashemi, Hamed Salim	0	0
94		Bait Jamil, Fahad	0	0