The 2026 Arab Youth Chess Championship is currently underway at the Pyramids Park Resort Hotel, located on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. The competition, running from July 29 to August 4, has brought together the best young players from 16 Arab nations. The championship features seven age groups – from Under-8 to Under-20 – in both Open and Girls’ sections. All 14 tournaments are 9-round Swiss events played with a classical time control. The highest-rated participants are local International Masters Hamed Wafa and David George Samir, both competing in the U20 section. After three rounds of play, a sole leader has emerged in five sections: U20 Open, U12 Girls, U14 Girls, U16 Girls, and U18 Girls – a testament to the fiercely contested nature of the championship. With no clear frontru