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Meet UAE's first female chess grandmaster who is just 15 years old
Rouda Essa Alserkal is the first Emirati and Gulf player to receive this prestigious title
- PUBLISHED: Thu 3 Apr 2025, 5:30 AM
Rouda Essa Alserkal had a chessboard at home from a young age. As a child, she would eagerly ask her mom to sign her up for a chess club, but when they finally visited, she was turned away due to her young age. At just four years old, Rouda was already moving the knight — something many children take weeks to master. Now, at 15, she has been appointed as a Woman Grandmaster by the International Chess Federation, making her the first Emirati and Gulf player to receive this prestigious title.
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Her talent was spotted by a coach named Hisham Al Argha after rejection from the chess club. “He saw potential in me. He let me play with him, and when he noticed I could already move the knight, he was impressed and welcomed me into the club. That’s when my chess journey truly began,” she said.
Rouda found her passion for chess during her very first tournament. "I just loved the challenge of figuring things out on the board. Winning was exhilarating, but what I really enjoyed was the uniqueness of each game and the endless learning opportunities. That’s when I realised I wanted to push myself and see how far I could go," said the Abu Dhabi resident.
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Over the years, Rouda has dedicated herself to improving her game. "I started by learning the basics and getting comfortable with the pieces. As I played more, I focused on my strategy, openings, and endgames. I learned to think ahead, and soon I began to recognise patterns that helped me in future games."
While she faced challenges — balancing school with chess and dealing with disappointing losses — Rouda persevered. "There were times when it felt like I wasn’t making progress, but I kept training and learning from my mistakes. It wasn’t easy, but eventually, I began to see improvement!"
Winning her WGM title was a moment of immense joy for Rouda. "I was so happy and a bit relieved. All the hard work had finally paid off. It took a moment to sink in, and I reflected on how far I’d come. Personally, it felt like a huge achievement. For women’s chess in the UAE, it’s significant too. I hope my success inspires other girls to reach for their goals in chess. It’s all about believing in yourself and putting in the effort!"
Looking to the future, Rouda has ambitious goals. "I want to continue improving and eventually earn my GM title. Competing in top tournaments against elite players is a challenge I look forward to. Winning more world championships is definitely on my radar, but right now, I’m focused on growing as a player and seeing how far I can take my chess career."
For young players just starting out, Rouda has some advice: "Be patient with yourself and keep training. It won’t feel easy at first, and it can be tough. Don’t get discouraged! Play as much as you can. What’s most important is learning from your mistakes and striving for improvement. Focus less on winning and more on enjoying the game. The more fun you have, the more motivated you’ll be to keep improving!"