Castle Chess Club Pulls Off the Biggest Upset of the year
In a dramatic finish to the Maldives National Club Chess Championship 2025, Castle Chess Club & Academy emerged as national club champions, defeating the heavily favored Stone Wall Chess Club in what was effectively the title-deciding encounter.
While several teams took part, this year’s championship quickly turned into a two-horse race between Castle and Stone Wall — the only two clubs realistically competing for the top prize. Both sides dominated their earlier matches, setting up a much-anticipated clash that would determine the national title.
When the decisive round began, Castle struck with confidence across all boards.
On the top board, Noor Farooq (Castle) scored a convincing victory over CM Abdul Rahman Ali (Stone Wall). The game turned sharply after Abdul Rahman made a passive move in the middlegame, allowing Noor to seize the initiative and convert the advantage with ease.
On the second board, CM Mohamed Hassan (Mohan) – Stone Wall was winning for the majority of the game, repeatedly missing clear opportunities to convert his advantage. Mujahid Bin Yazeed (Castle) kept blundering, but Mohan failed to capitalize each time. In the critical moments, both players made multiple mistakes — Mohan blundered in the endgame, and Mujahid also missed winning chances. After a chaotic and error-filled battle, the game eventually ended in a draw, leaving both players frustrated with their performance.
On board three, FM Muhammed Shuaau (Stone Wall) faced Vishau (Castle), where Vishau went wrong early on against his higher rated opponent. Shuaau capitalized immediately, scoring a miniature victory in just a few moves — the only bright spot for Stone Wall in an otherwise difficult match.
And on board four came the day’s unforgettable moment of chaos — and comedy. Yameen (Castle) won a piece early against Aboobakuru (Stone Wall) and was completely winning, but then blundered and allowed the position to become an elementary draw. Just when it seemed the game would end peacefully, Aboobakuru committed a shocking final blunder in a trivially drawn endgame, handing the full point — and effectively the championship — to Castle.
This triumph marks a major milestone for Castle Chess Club & Academy, whose steady growth and fighting spirit have paid off in spectacular fashion. Their composure under pressure and strong all-board performance earned them a well-deserved national title.
Interestingly, the 2024 Club Championship was held just two months ago, where Stone Wall Chess Club won the event convincingly, dominating from start to finish. Their form and recent success made them overwhelming favorites to retain the crown — which makes Castle’s upset victory all the more remarkable.
Unfortunately, the prize-giving ceremony that followed was notably dull and uninspired, with several national champions absent from the event. To make matters worse, the prize money has still not been paid to the rightful winners — a disappointing end to what was otherwise an exciting and hard-fought championship.
Full results and pairings are available here.
