Doha: The inaugural edition of the Qatar Rapid Team Chess Championship 2025 will kick off on Thursday at the Qatar Chess Training Centre, with 24 teams in action over two days.

According to Qatar News Agency, the tournament is organised by the Qatar Chess Association and is open to all FIDE-rated players. It will follow the Swiss system format over seven rounds, with each game timed at 10 minutes plus a 5-second increment per move. The first three rounds are scheduled for Thursday, while the final rounds will take place on Friday.

A total prize pool of QAR 21,000 will be awarded to top-performing teams. The championship features a mixed-gender team format, requiring each team to field four players - three men on the open boards and one woman on a designated board. Notably, only titled players such as FM, IM, and GM are allowed to play on Board 1, although female players holding these titles may also compete on either Board 1 or the women's board.

Ahead of the launch, the organising committee concluded preparations following the close of registration on October 5. A technical meeting with team representatives and the referee panel was held to review tournament regulations. The referees' briefing was led by Dr. Yousef Al-Muhasna, Head of the Referees Committee, along with International Arbiters Sara Al-Mohannadi and Hussein Al-Haddad.

Tournament rules will strictly adhere to FIDE regulations, with the organisers reserving the right to make adjustments to ensure fair play and competitive integrity. Executive Director of the Qatar Chess Association, Hamad Al Tamimi, confirmed the readiness of the organising team and expressed optimism for the new championship. He emphasised the Association's commitment to growing the game locally through the introduction of fresh tournaments and development programmes.