Your chance to qualify to Sharjah Chess Masters – with a $52,000 prize fund!

The Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club will host the 7th version of Sharjah Chess Masters, from 13 to 24 May, 2024, in Sharjah, UAE.

One player can qualify through a series of tournaments held only on Lichess. They will have full board, and accommodation in Sharjah covered by the Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club, as well as a monetary prize of $1,000.

The Lichess qualifier will have three stages. The first will comprise three open-entry arena tournaments, aimed towards the timezones of North and South America, Europe, and Central Asia / India.

Titled players are not required to participate in the first stage, as they directly qualify for the second stage. They can however participate in the event, if they wish so.

The top 10 untitled players from each arena, titled players and up to 5 wildcards nominated by Lichess will participate in the second stage, a 11 rounds swiss tournament.

Finally, the top 8 finishers from the Swiss tournament will compete for the invitation - and a prize fund of $1,000 - in a knockout tournament.

Prize fund

The Sharjah Cultural & Chess Club has contributed $1,000 towards the online prize fund, a share of which will be awarded to everyone who qualifies to the Knockout stage of the qualifier, broken down as follows:

• 1st -- $400 and invitation with full board and accommodation to the Sharjah Masters, with a ~$52,000 total prize fund on offer.
• 2nd -- $250
• 3rd -- 4th: $125 each
• 5th to 8th -- $50 each

Schedule and regulations

Three first-stage arenas will be held online. Each arena will be two hours long, with a time control of 3+0. Berserk will be allowed. The top 10 UNTITLED players from each arena will qualify to the second stage. Titled players automatically qualify for stage 2. Players may enter multiple arenas as long as they have not already qualified.

• Arena 1: Friday 22nd March, 06:00 UTC
• Arena 2: Saturday 23rd March, 22:00 UTC
• Arena 3: Sunday 24th March, 15:00 UTC

In the second stage, a single Swiss tournament will be held, open to all titled players, as well as the 30 players qualified through the arenas. Lichess also reserves the right (but is not required) to award 5 more wildcards at our own discretion. This will be an 11-round tournament with a time control of 5+2. The top eight players from the tournament will qualify for the third stage.

• Swiss Qualifier: Saturday 30th March, 14:00 UTC

A single-elimination knockout tournament will be held for the top eight players from the Swiss tournament, The format will be two 10+2 rapid games (one with White, one with Black), with two 5+2 blitz games as tie breaks if necessary, and a final tie break of a 5 / 4 Armageddon game.

• Knockout Stage: Sunday 31st March, 14:00 UTC

All players in the knockout stage will be required to join an online call with FIDE-licensed arbiters. Lichess also reserves the right to ask for this at earlier stages.
Interested players should read the full regulations carefully. All qualifier participants will be assumed to have consented to the regulations, which can be found here