UAE’s First Woman Grandmaster Rouda Al Serkal Concludes Maiden Norway Chess Open With Resilience And Three Wins

Rouda Al Serkal, a promising chess talent from the UAE, concluded her first appearance at the Norway Chess Open with three consecutive wins. Competing in the General Masters category, the 15-year-old demonstrated her resilience by securing 4 points over nine rounds. Her performance highlighted her ability to adapt and learn from more seasoned opponents.

Al Serkal entered the tournament with confidence after a strong showing at the Asian Individual Women’s Championship in Al Ain and a productive training period. However, her opening match on May 26 against Swedish Grandmaster Platon Galperin did not go as planned. Despite a valiant effort over 56 moves, she had to concede defeat.

The initial loss was tough for Rouda, especially since it marked her debut in the GM category. "It was tough to start like that and then mentally recover from there – I was disappointed," she admitted. "I didn’t feel like I was getting my game right, and it was demoralising to lose after such a long fight. But I knew I had to regroup quickly."

On the following day, Rouda steadied herself with a draw against American Luke Leon Robin Anatol but faced another setback in round three against Spain’s Lucia Follana Albelda. "That was even more crushing as I had her completely in my grasp after opening with Caro Kahn advanced variation but somehow I just failed to capitalise," she reflected.

Despite further challenges, including draws and losses against players from Mexico and Norway, Rouda remained determined. Her persistence paid off in round seven when she secured her first win against Norway’s Sigur H. Myny while playing white. "Eventually I just found my footing," she said. "I stopped overthinking, focused on basics, and trusted my training. Once that happened, things began to click."

This victory set off a winning streak for Rouda. She defeated Italian Mauro Pivi on May 30 and capped her campaign with a composed victory over France’s Franck Gouanelle, marking three straight wins.

A Promising Performance

With three wins, two draws, and four losses overall, Rouda's performance showed great potential amidst seasoned international players. Although she hoped for better results overall, her closing statement was strong. "I was honestly hoping to gain around 100 rating points," Rouda said. "Most of the rounds I lost, I was either winning or had a clear advantage but lost my way in the end. That’s what frustrated me the most."

As the first Emirati woman to compete in this category at the Norway Chess Open, Rouda's participation alone is significant for UAE chess. Her ability to rebound added depth to her international journey.

A Learning Experience

Reflecting on her experience, Al Serkal stated: "It was a learning experience more than anything else," adding that ending with three wins felt special despite wanting better results overall.

Tournament founder Kjell Madland praised Rouda's spirited finish: "It is exactly this kind of story that reinforces Norway Chess as a truly global platform. To have young talents like Rouda travel all the way from the UAE to compete at this level adds richness and reach to what we’re building here in Stavanger."

Meanwhile, at the elite Norway Chess supertournament held at SpareBank 1 SR-Bank in Stavanger, world number one Magnus Carlsen and reigning Women's World Rapid Chess Champion Koneru Humpy remain close contenders for leadership positions in their respective sections as final rounds approach later this week.

With inputs from WAM