Iran Women’s Chess Championship 2011
10-player round robin on 7-15th January in Tehran
The 2011 Iran Chess Championship for women (for the year 1389 according to Iranian calendar) is being played from 7th to 15th January in Tehran. Ten players compete in the round robin tournament where WFM Ghazal Hakimifard is defending the title earned at the 2010 Championship.
After five rounds have been played, Hakimifard and the 14-years-old WFM Sarasadat Khademalsharieh are sharing the first place with 4 points each. Khademalsharieh, the 2009 World Champion for the category U12, defeated WFM Hakimifard in the third round.
The other surprise was the 1st round defeat of WGM Atousa Pourkashiyan, winner of the Asian Women’s Chess Championship in 2010, against the low rated player Homa Alavi.
During the opening ceremony, the members of the Iran Chess Federation celebrated the chief arbiter IA Hosein Gholi Saloor’s 78th birthday.
News by Ali Ghaemmaghami, photos from the Iran Chess Federation website.
Round 5 standings:
1 WFM Khademalsharieh Sarasadat 2127 4 2 WFM HakimiFard Ghazal 2204 4
3 WGM Pourkashiyan Atousa 2397 3.5
4 WFM HejaziPour Mitra 2252 3
5 WIM Ghader Pour Shayesteh 2212 2.5
6 AsgariZadeh Minoo 2013 2.5
7 Alavi Homa 1997 2
8 Khalaji Hanieh 1948 2
9 Hakimifard Raana 1993 1.5
10 SaeidPour Mona 1896 0
They sure are stylishly dressed!