DUBAI: Saudi Arabia brushed aside rulings from top clerics to host a big money chess tournament, but the gambit to improve the kingdom’s image has been jolted by regional power plays.
The landmark event and its record $2 million (1.7 million euro) prize pot come as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman looks to repackage his oil-rich nation as more welcoming and moderate.
But a refusal to give Israeli players visas doubts whether Iranians and Qataris will come, and a no-show over Saudi Arabia’s record on women’s rights have all cast their shadows.
The King Salman Rapid and Blitz 2017 tournament opened on Monday, …read more
Source: Free Malaysia Today
