Abdalrahman Sameh Mohamed: Egypt’s 10-year-old chess prodigy dreams of world titles

CAIRO (EGYPT) — Despite being only 10 years old, Egyptian chess prodigy Abdalrahman Sameh Mohamed demonstrates maturity and skill on the chessboard far beyond his years. In July, Mohamed triumphed in the Egyptian National Open Chess Championship, where he faced seasoned adult players, securing 10 victories and one draw. This achievement followed his success in the African Youth Championship in June.

Abdalrahman became the first player in history to win his country’s open championship at the age of ten, reports Xinhua. “In chess, I want to become the world champion in the future. As for my studies, I aspire to be a doctor,” the young talent shared with Xinhua during an unofficial tournament at Cairo International Stadium.

Mohamed began playing chess at the age of eight, initially drawn to the game of kings for its reliance on strategic thinking and planning. His father introduced him to chess as a way to steer him away from an obsession with mobile games. “I realised his talent when he started beating me. That’s when I knew he was gifted, being able to defeat an older player and even his coach,” recalled Sameh Mohamed, Abdalrahman’s father.

To help his son practice, Sameh Mohamed created online accounts for him on chess websites, allowing Abdalrahman to compete with players from around the world.

“His passion for the game and dedication have rapidly improved his skills, giving us hope and ambition for even greater accomplishments,” his father added.

Before the start of the year, Abdalrahman Mohamed was relatively unknown in the chess community. However, after winning several championships, he quickly rose to prominence as a chess star.

The Egyptian chess community is urging the Egyptian Chess Federation to nurture this young talent, whom Egyptian Grandmaster (GM) Bassem Amin has described as “a future world champion.”

Amin, ranked 63rd globally as of August 2024 by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), hailed Abdalrahman’s victory in the national open championship at the age of ten as “a miraculous accomplishment.” He noted that the boy is currently ranked as the world’s second-best under-10 chess player.

“The world of chess moves quickly. Every day that passes without proper care for Abdalrahman is a missed opportunity. I hope sponsors and the Ministry of Sports will step up to support him,” the Egyptian GM emphasized. “He needs to train with distinguished international masters.”

Egyptian GM Ahmed Adly, head of the interim committee managing the Egyptian Chess Federation, assured that the federation is committed to fostering Abdalrahman’s talent.

“Since Abdalrahman emerged, we’ve seen great potential in him, and we are doing everything we can to support him,” said Adly, a former world junior champion. “The sports ministry is also keen on supporting him, with clear instructions to focus on developing such talents and providing all necessary support.”

Adly further explained that the federation has developed “a comprehensive preparation plan” for Abdalrahman, who is set to compete in six international and regional championships later this year.

Although neither Amin nor Adly participated in the national championship that Abdalrahman won, the young chess wizard faced stiff competition from some of Egypt’s best players to claim the trophy.