Chess in Iran: Premier League after five rounds

Usually the “Thinkers Cup” takes place on Thursdays and Fridays. As I mentioned in my previous article, Friday is the sole weekend in Iran, but this time it was on Wednesday and Thursday that the participant clubs fought each other. On Friday there was a rapid tournament. The third round was supposed to start at nine o’clock, but owing to a small opening ceremony the clocks were started with half an hour's delay. The leading club, Fajr-e-Shams-e-Atieh, a financial institute, played against province Markazi. The club of super galaxies lost their first half-point: Armenian Grandmaster Tigran Petrosian 2616 drew with the white pieces against Mehdi Atabaki, rated 2054. A very surprising result, considering their rating difference is 562!!

GM Morteza Mahjoob, 2488, at breakfast in Asram Hotel

Mahjoob is the champion of Iran in the year 1384 (according to the Iranian calendar, that is). He plays on board five of Fajr-e-Shams-e-Atieh. As far as I can remember, this is the first time ever in the Iranian League that a grandmaster is playing on this board. Morteza is the father of a gorgeous one-year-old girl.

Mohandesi-e-Ab Zangan-e-Zanjan was defeated 4-0 against Rahahan, the Iranian railway company.

Twenty-year-old Omid Noroozi, 2274, member of Rahahan Club, former bronze medalist of Asian U10, has won all of his games so far. He was my roommate in the hotel, and believe me it was not an easy task to wake him up.

Daneshgah-e-Azad, Azad University, also lost an important half a point against Mazandaran, the host club. IM Mehrdad Ardeshi, 2377, on board four, did not manage to win against his unrated opponent.

The youngest player of tournament, Bardia Sheikh Hassani, sixth board of the Mazandaran club, drew against IM Mehrdad Ardeshi, rated 2377. Well done Bardia!

In the other games, Bayat Beton-e-Gilan crushed Esfahan 3.5-0.5. Bank-e-Tose-e-Saderat also flattened Hamedan with the same result.

Esfahan, with orange shirts, outclassed by Bayat Beton-e-Gilan

The Bank-e-Tose-Saderat Club. From right to left: IM Mohsen Ghorbani, 2344, one-time champion of Iran, Ali Ramezan Nejad, 2157, Bachelor of Management, FM Siamak Hashemi, 2277, a clerk of this bank, Ali Reza Tavakol, 2085, a superb pianist, Mohammad Reza Salehzadeh, 2111, currently busy with teaching chess to childeren, Babak Khaghani, 2314, his brother is also a good chess player.

The fourth round started on the same day, at five o’clock. Fajr-e-Shams-e-Atieh won the derby of two financial institutes! On the forth board Alireza Tavakol 2085 remarkably managed to get a winning position against GM Elshan Moradi, 2499, but due to the time trouble he accepted the draw offered byElshan.

Alireza Tavakol, 2085 – Elshan Moradi, 2499, White to move

48.h4?! (48.e5!++–) 48…Ra3. Here Elshan offered a draw, and Alireza accepted it, although 49.Be3 or 49.Qg5 is completely winning.

Ali Reza Tavakol, 2085, member of Bank-e-Tose-e-Saderat club, and an outstanding pianist 

Rahahan with a convincing victory against Mazandaran and narrowed the point difference with the top of the table to just to half a point.

FM Arash Roghani, 2373, second board of Rahhan club, a civil engineer from Sharif University, and is currently studying MBA at that university. Two and half a years ago he achieved his third and final International Master norm, but thus far his rating has not reached 2400, so he is still a Fide Master. 

Daneshgah-e-Azad lost another critical half a point against Hamedan. IM Morteza Darban, 2394, on the board three, did not get a better result than draw against Sadegh Asadi, rated 2090.

 
Ardabil’s Turk GM Shojaat Ghane, 2424, top board player of Daneshgah-e-Azad. In the transfer season he left Rahahan and joined Daneshgah-e-Azad.

Bayat Beton-e-Gilan won against Markazi.

And finally Mohandesi-e-Ab Zangan-e-Zanjan and Esfahan drew 2-2.

Thursday, June 26th: International Arbiter Naser Kanan Azar blew his whistle and one of the most important games of this league started. Students of Daneshgah-e-Azad lined up against squads of Fajr-e-Shams-e-Atieh. Thanks to their Armenian legionary, Fajr-e-Shams-e-Atieh won the duel.

If Rahahan had won his match 4-0 against Hamedan, they would have jumped to the top of the table, but two draws on boards two and three spoiled this chance.

Esfahan defeated Mazandaran.

Bank-e-Tose-e-Saderat overcame Markazi.

Bayat Beton-e-Gilan also beat Mohandesi-e-Ab Zangan-e-Zanjan.

Ranking cross table after round five

In the most important game of round six, Fajr-e-Shams-e-Atieh faces Rahahan, a very decisive game at least for the championship of the first half of the season.

International Arbiter Freidoon Eskandari (iith the white hair and the white pieces), chief organizer of Iran League, and IA Ahmad Rezaie from the host province. Who knows, maybe next year a club of arbiters will also join the league!

 
Tide Water Club, champion of Iranian Premier League in the year 1384. From right to left with white sport suits: Davoud Mousavi, IM Morteza Darban, Adel Sadeghi, GM Rasul Ibrahimov, GM Farid Abbasov, FM Behrouz Moradi.

 
Rahahan Club, champion of the Iranian Premier League in year 1385. From right to left: IO Ali Akbar Hodhodi, director of the team, IM Javad Alavi, GM Tigran Kotanjian, GM Tigran Petrosian, IM Mehrdad Ardeshi, FT & FM Arash Akbarinia, GM Shojaat Ghane.

 
The famous Veresk Bridge in the way to Sari

The Veresk Bridge in Iran was constructed during the reign of Shah Reza. It is located in Veresk District of Savad Kooh County, in Mazandaran province. During World War II, it was known as the “Pol-e-Piroozi”, or the bridge of victory. The bridge is at an elevation of 110 m and its arch measures 66 m in length. It is one of the masterpieces of the Danish engineering firm Kampsax, serving the Trans-Iranian Railway network in Northern Iran.