emirates7 - Emerging Emirati chess talent Rouda Al Serkal concluded her first appearance at the Norway Chess Open with an impressive late surge, winning her final three games in the General Masters (GM) category of the prestigious tournament.
The 15-year-old demonstrated admirable perseverance throughout the nine-round event, bouncing back from a challenging start to finish with 4 points — a showing that highlighted not only her raw talent but also her growing maturity against experienced international opponents.
Al Serkal, who had recently competed at the Asian Individual Women’s Championship in Al Ain and undergone an intensive training period, entered the tournament with momentum. However, her opening match on May 26 against top-seeded Swedish Grandmaster Platon Galperin didn’t go her way. Despite a 56-move effort playing white, she ultimately lost the match.
“That first loss was hard,” she said. “It was a long fight, and losing right at the start of such an important tournament really shook me. I had to work hard to mentally reset.”
In the following rounds, Al Serkal managed a draw with American player Luke Leon Robin Anatol, but then suffered another setback against Spain’s Lucia Follana Albelda, despite having the advantage with the Caro-Kann Advanced variation. “I should have converted that into a win, but I let it slip,” she admitted.
Tough matches continued, including a draw with Mexico’s Jan Enrique Zepeda Berlanga and defeats to Norwegian players Ask Amundsen and Astor Moe Maurstad.
However, Al Serkal — the UAE’s first Woman Grandmaster and a former youth world champion — showed great resilience. She earned her first win in round seven, defeating Norway’s Sigur H. Myny. “That’s when I finally started to feel like myself again,” she said. “I stopped overanalyzing and trusted my preparation.”
Her form continued to improve with a win over Italy’s Mauro Pivi on May 30, followed by a final-round victory against France’s Franck Gouanelle, giving her three straight wins to close the tournament.
With a final record of three wins, two draws, and four losses, Al Serkal’s debut was an encouraging display of potential. While she had hoped for a better score — aiming to gain 100 rating points — she reflected that many of her losses came from positions where she had an advantage. “That’s what stings the most,” she said. “But I’ve learned a lot, and I know I’m stronger for it.”
As the first Emirati woman to participate in the GM category of the Norway Chess Open, her presence alone was a milestone. Her determined comeback added another layer of significance to her journey.
“This was more about learning than anything else,” said Rouda. “I’m proud I didn’t give up. Ending with three wins means a lot to me — I feel like I’ve grown through this experience.”
Tournament founder Kjell Madland applauded her perseverance, saying, “Rouda’s performance exemplifies the global spirit of Norway Chess. Young international talents like her enrich the tournament and help us build a truly inclusive chess platform.”
Meanwhile, in the elite Norway Chess supertournament at SpareBank 1 SR-Bank in Stavanger, world number one Magnus Carlsen and India’s Koneru Humpy, the reigning Women’s World Rapid Champion, remain strong contenders in their respective sections as the final rounds approach.
The 15-year-old demonstrated admirable perseverance throughout the nine-round event, bouncing back from a challenging start to finish with 4 points — a showing that highlighted not only her raw talent but also her growing maturity against experienced international opponents.
Al Serkal, who had recently competed at the Asian Individual Women’s Championship in Al Ain and undergone an intensive training period, entered the tournament with momentum. However, her opening match on May 26 against top-seeded Swedish Grandmaster Platon Galperin didn’t go her way. Despite a 56-move effort playing white, she ultimately lost the match.
“That first loss was hard,” she said. “It was a long fight, and losing right at the start of such an important tournament really shook me. I had to work hard to mentally reset.”
In the following rounds, Al Serkal managed a draw with American player Luke Leon Robin Anatol, but then suffered another setback against Spain’s Lucia Follana Albelda, despite having the advantage with the Caro-Kann Advanced variation. “I should have converted that into a win, but I let it slip,” she admitted.
Tough matches continued, including a draw with Mexico’s Jan Enrique Zepeda Berlanga and defeats to Norwegian players Ask Amundsen and Astor Moe Maurstad.
However, Al Serkal — the UAE’s first Woman Grandmaster and a former youth world champion — showed great resilience. She earned her first win in round seven, defeating Norway’s Sigur H. Myny. “That’s when I finally started to feel like myself again,” she said. “I stopped overanalyzing and trusted my preparation.”
Her form continued to improve with a win over Italy’s Mauro Pivi on May 30, followed by a final-round victory against France’s Franck Gouanelle, giving her three straight wins to close the tournament.
With a final record of three wins, two draws, and four losses, Al Serkal’s debut was an encouraging display of potential. While she had hoped for a better score — aiming to gain 100 rating points — she reflected that many of her losses came from positions where she had an advantage. “That’s what stings the most,” she said. “But I’ve learned a lot, and I know I’m stronger for it.”
As the first Emirati woman to participate in the GM category of the Norway Chess Open, her presence alone was a milestone. Her determined comeback added another layer of significance to her journey.
“This was more about learning than anything else,” said Rouda. “I’m proud I didn’t give up. Ending with three wins means a lot to me — I feel like I’ve grown through this experience.”
Tournament founder Kjell Madland applauded her perseverance, saying, “Rouda’s performance exemplifies the global spirit of Norway Chess. Young international talents like her enrich the tournament and help us build a truly inclusive chess platform.”
Meanwhile, in the elite Norway Chess supertournament at SpareBank 1 SR-Bank in Stavanger, world number one Magnus Carlsen and India’s Koneru Humpy, the reigning Women’s World Rapid Champion, remain strong contenders in their respective sections as the final rounds approach.