1st Sahel Chess Festival in Monastir, Tunisia

Norway’s GM Johan-Sebastian Christiansen emerged victorious at the inaugural Sahel Chess Festival, held in Monastir, Tunisia, from 1 to 9 September 2025. Scoring 8½/9 in the main Open, Christiansen also won the blitz event, highlighting the high level of play at a tournament that attracted 263 participants from 11 federations. The festival, hosted at the Amir Palace Hotel, showcased Tunisia’s vibrant chess scene and signalled the start of a promising new tradition in the Sahel region. | All photos: Diana Mihajlova