Posted 13 August 2004
Journalist Alaric Gomes of ?Gulf News? Dubai English daily reports on 13th August 2004 that Lebanese Armenian Knarik Mouradian won the women's title at the Arab Chess Championships (2-11 August 2004) which concluded at the Dubai Chess Club.
Mouradian, who turns 21 this month, told the reporter: “I like these trophies. They look so nice and attractive and I am getting used to collecting them“. She successfully defended the title she had won last year in
Giving a hint about the course of her games this year she said: “The advantage for me was because I won my opening rounds. This gave me the liberty to experiment a bit later during the tournament and then settle for a draw, if I found the game slipping out of my control“.
What about next year?
Knarik Mouradian has her own plans for next year?s Arab Chess Championship (Women?s section): “I will definitely return next year. And I am also confident I can win the title and set a record for being the only woman to win the title three times in a row“, she asserted.
Men?s title went to
The trophies and cash prizes were presented by Sultan Saqr Al Suwaidi, secretary general of the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare in the UAE.
Time limit for both of events (men's and women's) was 90 minutes for all moves, with added 30 seconds a fixed extra time for every move (Fischer's System). The tournament played according to the Swiss System with 9 rounds.
Left side of the photo: Arab Chess Champion 2004 Knarik Mouradian (Women's Champion).
Right side of the photo: Moroccon Hichem Hamdouchi (Men's Champion). Photo taken by “Gulf News”
