Chess in Iran: Premier League after five rounds

by ChessBase
7/2/2008 – The third round of Iranian Premier League took place on Wednesday, June 25th, in Sari, the capital city of Mazandaran, a beautiful and green province on the south coast of Caspian Sea. There were a lot of surprises, as when GM Tigran Petrosian with the white pieces was held to a draw by the untitled Mehdi Atabaki, who is rated exactly 562 points lower. Report by FM Arash Akbarinia.

ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024 ChessBase 17 - Mega package - Edition 2024

It is the program of choice for anyone who loves the game and wants to know more about it. Start your personal success story with ChessBase and enjoy the game even more.

More...

Chess in Iran: Premier League after five rounds

Report by FM Arash Akbarinia

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!!

2

Fajr Shams Atieh Tehran

Rtg

3½:½

10

Markazi

Rtg

GM

Ghaem Maghami Ehsan

2604

1-0

-

Menhaj Ali

2039

GM

Petrosian Tigran L.

2616

½-½

-

Atabaki Mehdi

2054

GM

Moradiabadi Elshan

2499

1-0

-

Shamsi Mohammadhassan

2002

GM

Mahjoob Morteza

2488

1-0

-

Bagheri Mehrab

0


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.

Editorial note

Wikipedia tells us that the Iranian calendar is an astronomical solar calendar and one of the longest chronological records in history and is currently used in Iran and Afghanistan as the main official calendar. Beginning each year on the vernal equinox as precisely determined by astronomical observations from Tehran (or the 52.5°E meridian, which also defines IRST), this makes it more accurate than the Gregorian Calendar in being synchronized with the solar year.

The official Iranian calendar was last changed in 1925 by a law of the Iranian Majlis to have fixed month lengths for the first eleven months of the year, with only the final month iterating between 29 and 30 days based on the year being leap or not.

The current Iranian Calendar year is AP 1387 (AP = Anno Persico/Anno Persarum = Persian year). The Iranian year usually begins on March 21 of the Gregorian calendar. Add 621 or 622 (depending on the time of the year) to an Iranian year to find the corresponding year of the Gregorian calendar. Here is a translation table for the years given by Arash Akbarinia:

1384 = 2005
1385 = 2006
1386 = 2007
1387 = 2008

The conversion is valid after March 21st. Before that date you must add one year, e.g. Feb. 1384 is already 2006 in the Gregorian system. For anyone fanatically interested there are a number of Iranian Calendar utilities here.

You will notice that Arash captions his pictures from right to left. This is because like Arabic, Farsi is written backwards. Judging by the glottals you hear it is spoken that way as well.

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

5

Rah Ahan Tehran

Rtg

4:0

8

Mohandesi Abzangan Zanjan

Rtg

FM

Toufighi Homayoon

2426

1-0

-

Khalesi Vahid

2219

FM

Roghani Arash

2373

1-0

-

Moradi Mostafa

2149

FM

Akbarinia Sayed Arash

2322

1-0

-

Hosseinzadeh Nima

2054

-

Noroozi Omid

2274

1-0

-

Mousavi Emadeddin

0


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.

4

Daneshgah Azad Eslami Tehran

Rtg

3½:½

9

Rah Ahan Shomal Mazandaran

Rtg

GM

Bagheri Amir

2496

1-0

-

Amini Amer

2188

FM

Shaarbaf Mohsen

2417

1-0

-

Lamei Hossein

2154

IM

Darban Morteza

2394

1-0

-

Valizadeh Ali

2037

IM

Ardeshi Mehrdad

2377

½-½

-

Sheykh Hassani Bardia

0


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.

6

Esfahan

Rtg

½:3½

7

Bayat Beton Gilan

Rtg

-

Soleimani Shantiya

2149

0-1

FM

Moradi Behrooz

2250

-

Ryahi Naser

2216

0-1

FM

Soozankar A.M.

2221

-

Kalantari B

2111

½-½

-

Vaghar Mohsen

2225

-

Ghaledar Faraz

1955

0-1

-

Aryanejad Arash

2178


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

3

Bank Tosse Saderat Tehran

Rtg

3½:½

1

Hamedan

Rtg

-

Khaghani Babak

2314

1-0

-

Saba Earaj

2077

FM

Hashemi S.

2277

½-½

-

Asadi Sadegh

2090

IM

Ghorbani Mohsen

2344

1-0

-

Lahimi Ariz

2079

-

Tavakol Alireza

2085

1-0

-

Achak Amir

0


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.

2

  Fajr Shams Atieh Tehran

Rtg

3½:½

3

  Bank Tosse Saderat Tehran

Rtg

GM

Ghaem Maghami Ehsan

2604

1-0

-

Khaghani Babak

2314

GM

Petrosian Tigran L.

2616

1-0

IM

Ghorbani Mohsen

2344

GM

Pashikian Arman

2537

1-0

-

Salehzadeh M.r.

2111

GM

Moradiabadi Elshan

2499

½-½

-

Tavakol Alireza

2085


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.

9

Rah Ahan Shomal Mazandaran

Rtg

0:4

5

Rah Ahan Tehran

Rtg

-

Amini Amer

2188

0-1

FM

Toufighi Homayoon

2426

-

Salar Milad

2089

0-1

FM

Roghani Arash

2373

-

Valizadeh Ali

2037

0-1

FM

Akbarinia Sayed Arash

2322

-

Sheykh Hassani Bardia

0

0-1

-

Noroozi Omid

2274


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.

1

Hamedan

Rtg

½-3½

4

Daneshgah Azad Eslami Tehran

Rtg

-

Saba Earaj

2077

0-1

GM

Ghane Shojaat

2424

-

Manochehri Hamed

2108

0-1

FM

Shaarbaf Mohsen

2417

-

Asadi Sadegh

2090

½-½

IM

Darban Morteza

2394

-

Lahimi Ariz

2079

0-1

IM

Ardeshi Mehrdad

2377

 
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.

10

Markazi

Rtg

1:3

7

Bayat Beton Gilan

Rtg

-

Shamsi Mohammadhossein

2184

0-1

FM

Aryanejad Hossein

2257

-

Menhaj Ali

2039

0-1

FM

Moradi Behrooz

2250

-

Atabaki Mehdi

2054

0-1

FM

Soozankar A.M.

2221

-

Bagheri Mehrab

0

1-0

-

Vaghar Mohsen

2225

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

8

  Mohandesi Abzangan Zanjan

Rtg

2:2

6

  Esfahan

Rtg

-

Khalesi Vahid

2219

0-1

-

Soleimani Shantiya

2149

-

Moradi Mostafa

2149

1-0

-

Ryahi Naser

2216

-

Hosseinzadeh Nima

2054

1-0

-

Kalantari B

2111

-

Mousavi Emadeddin

0

0-1

-

Kheiri A.R.

2177

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.

4

Daneshgah Azad Eslami Tehran

Rtg

1:3

2

Fajr Shams Atieh Tehran

Rtg

GM

Ghane Shojaat

2424

½-½

GM

Ghaem Maghami Ehsan

2604

GM

Bagheri Amir

2496

0-1

GM

Petrosian Tigran L.

2616

FM

Shaarbaf Mohsen

2417

0-1

GM

Pashikian Arman

2537

IM

Ardeshi Mehrdad

2377

½-½

GM

Moradiabadi Elshan

2499

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.

5

Rah Ahan Tehran

Rtg

3:1

1

Hamedan

Rtg

FM

Toufighi Homayoon

2426

1-0

-

Manochehri Hamed

2108

FM

Roghani Arash

2373

½-½

-

Asadi Sadegh

2090

FM

Akbarinia Sayed Arash

2322

½-½

-

Lahimi Ariz

2079

-

Noroozi Omid

2274

1-0

-

Achak Amir

0

Esfahan defeated Mazandaran.

6

Esfahan

Rtg

3½:½

9

Rah Ahan Shomal Mazandaran

Rtg

-

Soleimani Shantiya

2149

½-½

-

Amini Amer

2188

-

Ryahi Naser

2216

1-0

-

Salar Milad

2089

-

Kalantari B

2111

1-0

-

Valizadeh Ali

2037

-

Kheiri A.R.

2177

1-0

-

Sheykh Hassani Bardia

0

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

3

Bank Tosse Saderat Tehran

Rtg

3:1

10

Markazi

Rtg

-

Khaghani Babak

2314

1-0

-

Menhaj Ali

2039

IM

Ghorbani Mohsen

2344

1-0

-

Atabaki Mehdi

2054

-

Salehzadeh M.r.

2111

½-½

-

Pooreraghian Mohammadreza

1742

-

Ramezan Nejad A.

2157

½-½

-

Bagheri Mehrab

0

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

7

Bayat Beton Gilan

Rtg

3:1

8

Mohandesi Abzangan Zanjan

Rtg

FM

Aryanejad Hossein

2257

1-0

-

Khalesi Vahid

2219

FM

Moradi Behrooz

2250

1-0

-

Moradi Mostafa

2149

FM

Soozankar A.M.

2221

0-1

-

Hosseinzadeh Nima

2054

-

Vaghar Mohsen

2225

1-0

-

Mousavi Emadeddin

0

Ranking cross table after round five

Rk.

Team

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

 TB1 

 TB2 

1

Fajr Shams Atieh Tehran

 * 

 

3

 

 

4

 

4

18.0

10

2

Rah Ahan Tehran

 

 * 

 

 

3

 

3

4

4

17.5

10

3

Daneshgah Azad Eslami Tehran 

1

 

 * 

 

 

 

4

14.5

8

4

Bank Tosse Saderat Tehran

½

 

 

 * 

 

 

3

12.0

8

5

Bayat Beton Gilan

 

½

 

 * 

3

 

3

 

11.5

6

6

Esfahan

 

1

 

 

½

 * 

 

2

9.5

5

7

Markazi

½

 

 

1

1

 * 

 

 

5.5

0

8

Hamedan

0

1

½

½

 

 

 * 

 

 

4.5

2

9

Mohandesi Abzangan Zanjan

 

0

0

1

2

 

 

 * 

 

4.5

1

10

Rah Ahan Shomal Mazandaran

0

0

½

 

½

 

 

 

 * 

2.5

0

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.


Reports about chess: tournaments, championships, portraits, interviews, World Championships, product launches and more.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register