Sharjah Masters 2025: Preview

Lichess Coverage

Continuing our cooperation with Sharjah for a second year running, we will livestream the games on Twitch and YouTube every day from 17 to 25 May, including live camera feeds!

Commentary will be provided by our main host, GM Toms Kantāns, and our co-hosts: IM Irene Sukandar (Rounds 1 and 2) and WIM Silvia Raluca Sgîrcea (Rounds 3 to 9).

But, if you only have time for summaries — make sure to keep an eye on our homepage feed and social media channels, as well as our broadcast page to follow and analyse the games whenever you want.

Schedule

Round 1 starts at 12:00 UTC on 17 May. All other rounds start daily at 11:00 UTC until 25 May.

Prize Fund

This edition of the Sharjah Masters has one of the largest prize funds in the event’s history, with a total of $75,000 USD across both sections — an increase of $10,000 from 2024, and a further $10,000 increase from 2023!

The winner of the Masters takes home the lion’s share of $15,000 USD.

Lineup

The World Number 6 player — GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov — is this year's top seed. He’s joined by fellow 2700+ rated players, GM Anish Giri and GM Parham Maghsoodloo.

They’re joined by fifteen 2600+ rated players, including GM Sam Sevian, GM Amin Tabatabaei, European champion GM Aleksandar Indjic, home favourite GM Salem Saleh, GM Leon Luke Mendonca, and GM Niko Theodorou.

Another 60 extremely strong and promising players round out the lineup — including GM Zhu Jiner who was recently so dominant in the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix — wonderkid IM Faustino Oro, US prodigy GM Andy Woodward, and last year’s winner of the Sharjah Challengers, IM Divya Deshmukh.

Top Players

#1 Seed: Nodirbek Abdusattorov

One of the brightest talents of chess players born after 2000, Abdusattorov became a Grandmaster at 13 and has quickly risen to one of the strongest players in the world. In 2021, he became the youngest player — only 17 — to win a World Championship title (in this case the Rapid World Championship, beating the record formerly set by GM Magnus Carlsen). Notable for his dynamic, exciting and aggressive play, Abdusattorov has excellent chances of one day becoming a Candidate or Classical World Champion.

GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov
Photo: Lennart Ootes / FIDE

#2 Seed: Anish Giri

Giri is a legend of chess. Known as a solid and conservative player, his style ensures he rarely loses, but also sometimes doesn’t convert when he should. Already a veteran of Candidates Tournaments (2016, 2020), and at his peak being world number 3, just shy of 2800, shows Giri's strength.

GM Anish Giri
Photo: Stev Bonhage / FIDE

#3 Seed: Parham Maghsoodloo

No stranger to Sharjah, Maghsoodloo has previously won the Sharjah Masters in 2018, when he was just 17 years old. Another player born post-2000, he had a meteoric ascent within chess, reaching a 2742 rating in 2023. Since then, his form has been a bit shaky, dipping below 2700, but he showed excellent form in this year’s Reykjavik Open, winning it undefeated. He also remained undefeated in the Austrian Bundesliga, which tipped him back over 2700. Maghsoodloo is clearly in good form at the moment — but he will be facing a higher calibre of opponent in Sharjah.

GM Parham Maghsoodloo
Photo: Anna Shtourman / FIDE

As usual, the Sharjah Masters has an extremely strong field and predictions are always difficult. Abdusattorov, nearly 40 Elo points ahead of the second seed, should be the favourite — but upsets are always possible.