
The 19th Fajr Open is taking place from 26th February – 7th March 2011
in Mashhad, Iran. There are no rest days, and two rounds played on Feb. 26 and
Mar. 4, with the first game starting at 09:00 a.m., as does the single game
in the final round on March 7. Amongst the participants are 25 GMs, 15 IMs and
10 FMs. Nine GMs are rated 2600+.
Top participants (2400+)
No. |
Ti. |
Player |
FED |
Rtng |
1 |
GM |
Kasimdzhanov Rustam |
UZB |
2681 |
2 |
GM |
Moiseenko Alexander |
UKR |
2670 |
3 |
GM |
Mchedlishvili Mikheil |
GEO |
2641 |
4 |
GM |
Tiviakov Sergey |
NED |
2623 |
5 |
GM |
Gagunashvili Merab |
GEO |
2619 |
6 |
GM |
Sumets Andrey |
UKR |
2619 |
7 |
GM |
Filippov Anton |
UZB |
2604 |
8 |
GM |
Ghaem maghami Ehsan |
IRI |
2604 |
9 |
GM |
Volkov Sergey |
RUS |
2602 |
10 |
GM |
Fedorov Alexei |
BLR |
2593 |
11 |
GM |
Guseinov Gadir |
AZE |
2591 |
12 |
GM |
Gleizerov Evgeny |
RUS |
2581 |
13 |
GM |
Mamedov Nidjat |
AZE |
2580 |
14 |
GM |
Shanava Konstantine |
GEO |
2560 |
15 |
GM |
Moradiabadi Elshan |
IRI |
2558 |
16 |
GM |
Ulibin Mikhail |
RUS |
2547 |
17 |
GM |
Dizdar Goran |
CRO |
2544 |
|
|
18 |
GM |
Abbasov Farid |
AZE |
2537 |
19 |
IM |
Sebenik Matej |
SLO |
2526 |
20 |
IM |
Benidze Davit |
IRI |
2522 |
21 |
GM |
Kotanjian Tigran |
ARM |
2519 |
22 |
GM |
Mahjoob Morteza |
IRI |
2519 |
23 |
GM |
Neverov Valeriy |
UKR |
2516 |
24 |
GM |
Dzhumaev Marat |
UZB |
2493 |
25 |
IM |
Guliev Logman |
AZE |
2464 |
26 |
IM |
Grover Sahaj |
IND |
2462 |
27 |
IM |
Maghalashvili Davit |
GEO |
2453 |
28 |
IM |
Darini Pouria |
IRI |
2423 |
29 |
IM |
Vaibhav Suri |
IND |
2421 |
30 |
FM |
Ahmadinia E |
IRI |
2417 |
31 |
IM |
Alavi Seyed Javad |
IRI |
2415 |
32 |
FM |
Abbasifar Hasan |
IRI |
2411 |
33 |
GM |
Gaprindashvili Valeriane |
GEO |
2404 |
34 |
IM |
Bodiroga Predrag |
SRB |
2400 |
35 |
IM |
Morchiashvili Bachana |
GEO |
2400 |
|
Standings after three rounds
We have not been able to obtain the games from the 19th Fajr Open yet. The
organisers have promised to send them, but were not immediately forthcoming.
If anyone is able to locate games please inform us.
Impressions from Mashhad
By GM Sergey Tiviakov
Mashhad is located 850 kilometres (530 miles) east of Tehran, close to the
borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. It is the second largest city in Iran
with a population of about 2½ million. It is also one of the holiest
cities in the Shia Muslim world, known as the resting place of the Imam
Reza.
Explore the area in eastern Iran in the window above or on a larger
map
Panorama veiw of Mashhad – source: Mazi Ahmadi for Wikipedia (where a stunning
full-res version is available)

The Imam Reza shrine, which dominates the city (source: Wikipedia)
Imam Reza shrine is a complex which contains the mausoleum of Imam
Ridha, the eighth Imam of Twelver Shi'ites. It is the second largest mosque
in the world, 267,000 sq.m. in size and able to accommodate 700,000 worshippers
(compared to the 357,000 sq.m. of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, which accommodates
up to four million during the Hajj period). The Imam Reza complex includes the
Goharshad Mosque, a museum, a library, four seminaries, a cemetery, the Razavi
University of Islamic Sciences, a dining hall for pilgrims, vast prayer halls,
and other buildings.

GM Sergey Volkov inside the Imam Reza shrine complex

Repair work on some of the many the minarets

A blue mosque in the city

The Mashhad city center

Pedestrian area

The Reza Bazaar

A store with sweets and groceries

GM Volkov in a carpet store

A gallery of carpet pictures

The tournament location in the Mashad Torghabeh Grand Hotel

A round of the 19th Fajr Open under way

Second seed GM Alexander GM Moiseenko of Ukraine, rated 2670, faces a youngster
Vojdani Siavosh, 11, rated 1753, in the first round. In the background: Rustam
Kasimdzhanov waits for his opponent.

Top seed GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov, UZB, rated 2681.
The poster of the event (click to get it in full resolution)
Links
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