The strongest chess boom in Iran, ever

by Shahrokh Mojtabaei
2/3/2019 – Prior to 2018, there were few world-class chess tournaments dominated by Iranian players — just the odd youth championship. Now Iran is climbing the list of the top countries in the world — currently at number 25, with the average rating of the top ten players rising by the month. The country's 15 GMs, 23 IMs, and 125 total titled players obscures the fact that among the top ten, only two were born before 1995. SHAHROKH MOJTABAEI takes a look at the recent history. | Pictured: Coach Ivan Sokolov with Masoud Mosadeghpour, Alireza Firouzja, Parham Maghsoodloo, Pouya Idani, Seyed Mohammad Amin Tabatabaei | Photo: Iranian Chess Federation

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Maghsoodloo is not the only one...

The first chess boom in Iran occurred when Seyed Javad Alavi won the 1997 World Cadet Chess Championship under-10 in Cannes, France — the first world title in the history of chess in Iran. Ever since then, new players have been entering the scene constantly. Ehsan Ghaem Maghami achieved the first GM title in 2000 and to date Iran has produced 15 grandmasters, most of whom are playing actively. In recent years, we are witnessing a second chess boom in the country. Not only have the numbers of GMs been increased, but also the new generation of players are demonstrating higher chess skills. Both open and women’s national teams, consisting of the young talented players, have achieved admirable results in the last two Chess Olympiads [e.g. 17th and 14th in Batumi 2018 -Ed.].

From the start of 2018, the new golden generation of chess players has begun to blossom. The country currently has three players among the top 20 Juniors, equal with the USA. In January, 18-year-old Parham Maghsoodloo produced a spectacular display by lifting the IIFLIM Mumbai International title and receiving the trophy from the Indian legend Viswanathan Anand.

Maghsoodloo in Mumbai

Maghsoodloo wins IIFLIM Mumbai International 2018 trophy presented by Anand | Photo: Niklesh Jain

Later he took first place at the 8th A. Margaryan Memorial. His brilliant victory at Sharjah Masters with 8 out of 9 was arguably the most historic moment ever in the history of Iranian chess community.

Here's a look at Maghsoodloo’s win against Gawain Jones. He dared to play Sicilian Defence against the man who has written the book, "How to beat the Sicilian Defence’’.

 
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1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 e6 4.0-0 Nge7 5.Re1 Nd4 6.Nxd4 cxd4 7.d3 B30: Sicilian: 2...Nc6 3 Bb5, lines without ...g6 a6 8.Ba4 Nc6 8...b5= 9.Bb3 Nc6 9.Nd2 White should play 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Nd2 9...b5= 10.Bb3 Bb7 11.f4 Qc7 12.Nf3 Rc8N Predecessor: 12...Bd6 13.f5 Na5 14.Qe2 Rc8 15.Kh1 Nxb3 16.cxb3 e5 17.f6 gxf6 18.Bd2 1/2-1/2 (18) Stalmach,K (2565)-Stoyanov,Z (2449) ICCF email 2013 13.Kh1 Bd6 14.Rf1 14.f5= 14...Bxf4 15.Bxf4 Qxf4 16.Nxd4! Qe5 17.Nxc6 dxc6 18.d4 White should try 18.Qf3= 0-0 19.c3 18...Qxe4 19.Qh5 0-0 Threatens to win with ...c5. 20.Qc5 Qh4 21.Rf3 21.Rae1= 21...Rce8 22.Rg3 Qe7 22...e5 23.Qb6 Bc8 23.Qh5
23...c5!       24.dxc5 f5 25.a4 25.Rd1= 25...f4 26.Rh3 g6 27.Qg4 But not 27.Bxe6+? Kh8-+ 27.Qh4 27...Qxc5-+ 28.axb5 Don't go for 28.Bxe6+? Kg7-+ 28...axb5 And now ...f3! would win. 29.Bxe6+ Kg7 30.Qh4 h5 31.Rc3 Qb6       Black has strong attack. 32.Bh3 f3 33.gxf3 Bxf3+ 34.Rxf3 Rxf3 35.Bg2 Qf2 36.Qb4?
36.Qxf2 Rxf2 37.Bf1 36...Re2!       37.Rg1
37...Rfe3? 37...h4!       ( -> ...h3!) 38.Qg4 Qxg1+       Remove Defender 39.Kxg1 Re1+ 40.Bf1 Rfxf1+ 41.Kg2 Rg1+       Skewer 42.Kh3 Rxg4 43.Kxg4 b4 38.Qxb5? 38.Qd4+ Qf6 39.Qxf6+ Kxf6 40.Bf1 Rxc2 41.Bxb5 38...Re1 39.Bf1 Qf3+ 40.Bg2 Rxg1+ 41.Kxg1 Re1+ 42.Bf1 Rd1 Hoping for ...Qe3+. 43.h4 Qg3+ Black mates. 44.Kh1 Rd2 45.Be2 Qe1+       Double Attack. Accuracy: White = 41%, Black = 68%.
0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Gawain Jones2675Parham Maghsoodloo26150–12018B30Sharjah Masters7.1

But his performance in the World Junior Championship was even more unbelievable: He became champion with one round to spare finishing on 9½ out of 10. He also won three other tournaments decisively in Iran during the year.

Maghsoodloo

Parham Maghsoodloo becomes World Junior Champion | Photo: Amruta Mokal

After the Batumi Olympiad, Pouya Idani, the second board player for the national team, clinched the Goa GM International title. He continued his fine run in the Chigorin Memorial in presence of many strong players and finished clear first. He is the student of Pharmacology at Shahid Beheshti University, one of the best medical sciences universities in Iran.

Pouya Idani

Pouya Idani took first at the 1st Goa GM International 2018 | Photo: Niklesh Jane

In November, 18-years-old Mobina Alinasab made history by defeating two far higher rated players (Elisabeth Paehtz and Monika Socko) in the Women’s World Championship. It was the first time that an Iranian reached the upper rounds in the World Cup. In the third round, Alinasab missed an easy win at the very last moment of the first game against Mariya Muzychuk. She lost the next game and the overall match but her performance in the knockout tournament was really excellent.

Alinasab

Mobina Alinasab in Khanty-Mansiysk 2018 | Photo: Official website

In the Asian Individual Championship, 17-years-old Mohammad Amin Tabatabaei was a sterling representative for Iran and grabbed the silver medal both in the classic and the blitz sections. 15-years-old Alireza Firouzja, who is really active in online tournaments as well, became the gold medal winner of the Asian Blitz Championship.

Tabatabaei and Firoujza

Mohammad Amin Tabatabaei and Alireza Firouzja at the 2018 Asian Individual Championship | Photos: Iranian chess federation

On the last days of the year, the World Rapid and Blitz Championship held in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, who missed the last year’s competition in Saudi Arabia because of visa problems, played magically and bagged two silver medals in both the rapid and the blitz sections and the gold medal for the combined results. It was the first time in history that an Iranian achieved an adult world chess title. She followed it up in January with a fine performance at the Gibraltar Masters.

Sarasadat Khademalsharieh

After getting married in October, Sara Khademalsharieh has played well | Photo: John Saunders / Gibraltar Chess Festival

Alireza Firouzja was on fire in the World Rapid and Blitz Championship and came the 6th in the rapid section. His start in the blitz section was really nice as well (6½/7), but his defeat against Magnus Carlsen destroyed his concentration and prevented him from repeating another amazing performance.

Firouzja, who was profiled in December, won the 2019 Iranian Championship with a round to spare:

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All these results have been achieved just during the last 12 months and a bright future is waiting for this newly emerged generation of chess prodigies.

Iranian Championship - All games

 
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1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.e3 Bb4 5.Qb3 e4 5...Bxc3 6.Qxc3 Qe7 7.Be2 d5 8.0-0 d4 9.exd4 exd4 10.Qa3 Qxa3 11.bxa3 Bf5 12.Re1 0-0-0 13.Bb2 Rhe8 14.Bf1 Be4 15.Ng5 1-0 (62) Short,N (2698)-Rublevsky,S (2693) Poikovsky 2012 6.Ng5 A28: English Opening: Four Knights Variation Bxc3 7.Qxc3 h6N Predecessor: 7...0-0 8.b3 d6 9.Bb2 Ne5 10.Qc2 Bf5 11.f4 Ned7 12.0-0-0 Ng4 13.Be2 1-0 (37) Eliseev,A (2424)-Kurilov,V (2316) St Petersburg 2007 8.Nh3 Black has an edge. 0-0 9.Nf4 d5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Nxd5 Qxd5 12.b3 Be6 13.Bb2 f6 14.Bc4 Qf5 15.d3 15.d4!? 15...Rfe8 16.dxe4 Qxe4 17.f3 Qg6 18.Bb5 18.0-0= 18...Qxg2 19.0-0-0 Rad8!       aiming for ...Rxd1+. Black has some pressure. 19...Qxf3?! 20.Rhg1± 20.Rdg1 Qxf3
Hoping for ...Rd6. 21.Rf1 21.Be2!       Qf2 21...Qxe2 22.Rxg7+ 22.Qxf6 Qxf6 23.Bxf6 21...Qe4! 22.Rhg1?      
22.Bxc6 bxc6 23.Rhg1 22...Nb4!-+ 23.Rxg7+ Kh8 24.Qxb4 Qxb4 25.Bxf6 Qa3+? 25...Qxb5 26.Rg5+ Kh7 27.Rxb5 25...Qc5+ 26.Bc4= 25...Qd2+!-+ has better winning chances. 26.Kb1 Bf5+!       27.Ka1 Re6 28.Rg2+ Rxf6 29.Rxd2 Rxd2 26.Kb1
26...Bf5+!       Discovered Attack 27.e4
Re7+ would kill now. 27.Rxf5 Rd1+ 27...Re6 27...Bxe4+?! 28.Ka1= 27...Rd6! 28.Bc3 Rd4!       29.Bxe8 Bxe4+ 30.Ka1 Kxg7 31.Bxd4+ Kh7 28.Bc3!= Rxe4 29.Rxc7+?      
29.Rgg1+= Rdd4 30.Rxf5 29...Rdd4! 30.Ka1 30.Bd3 Qd6       Double Attack 31.Rc4       Pin Re1+ 32.Kb2 Qxh2+ 33.Ka3 Qd6+ 34.Kb2 Qh2+ 35.Ka3 Qd6+ 36.Kb2 Qh2+ 30.Bxd4+ Rxd4+ 30...Kg8-+ 31.Rg1+ Kf8 Don't blunder 31...Kh8? 32.Bd3+- 32.Rf1 Rd5 33.Bc4 Rf4 34.Re1
34...Rxc4! 35.Rxc4 Black must now prevent Bb4+. 35.bxc4 Qxc3# 35...a5 36.Rc7 Rd7 37.Rc8+ Kf7 38.Rc4 b5 39.Rc6 Rd6 40.Rc7+ Kg6 41.Rf1 Rd5 42.Rc6+ Kh5 43.Bg7 Bg6 44.Bf8 b4 45.Rc3 Bf5 ( -> ...Rd2) Weaker is 45...Rd2 46.Rh3+ Kg4 47.Rg3+ Kh5 48.Rh3+ Kg4 49.Rg3+ Kh5 50.Rh3+= 46.Rc6
46...Rd2? Black should try 46...a4!-+ 47.Ra6 Bd3       Double Attack 48.Rxh6+ Kg4 47.Rxf5+= The position is equal. Kg4
47...Kh4!? 48.Rf4+ Kh3 49.Rxh6+ Kg2 50.Rg6+ Kh3 51.Rh6+ Kg2 52.Rg6+ Kh3 53.Rh6+= 48.Rf4+!       Kh5 48...Kxf4? loses. 49.Bxh6+ Ke5 50.Bxd2+- 49.Rf5+ Kg4
50.Rf4+!       Accuracy: White = 44%, Black = 86%.
½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Firouzja,A2618Tahbaz,A2468½–½2019A2852nd Iran-ch Men Final 20191.1
Daghli,A2366Gholami Orimi,M2377½–½2019D3752nd Iran-ch Men Final 20191.2
Idani,P2611Gholami,A2488½–½2019B1352nd Iran-ch Men Final 20191.3
Mosadeghpour,M2517Pourramezanali,A2528½–½2019B3652nd Iran-ch Men Final 20191.4
Darini,P2475Moradi,A23211–02019C7752nd Iran-ch Men Final 20191.5
Ghaem Maghami,E2533Khodashenas,M2455½–½2019D2452nd Iran-ch Men Final 20191.6
Firouzja,A2618Daghli,A23661–02019C7552nd Iran-ch Men Final 20192
Pourramezanali,A2528Darini,P24750–12019B8952nd Iran-ch Men Final 20192
Gholami,A2488Mosadeghpour,M25171–02019D3752nd Iran-ch Men Final 20192
Tahbaz,A2468Khodashenas,M2455½–½2019A0652nd Iran-ch Men Final 20192
Gholami Orimi,M2377Idani,P26110–12019E3552nd Iran-ch Men Final 20192
Moradi,A2321Ghaem Maghami,E25331–02019B8752nd Iran-ch Men Final 20192
Firouzja,A2618Daghli,A23661–02019C7552nd Iran-ch Men Final 20193
Idani,P2611Firouzja,A26180–12019B1152nd Iran-ch Men Final 20193
Ghaem Maghami,E2533Pourramezanali,A2528½–½2019A1352nd Iran-ch Men Final 20193
Pourramezanali,A2528Darini,P24750–12019B8952nd Iran-ch Men Final 20193
Mosadeghpour,M2517Gholami Orimi,M23771–02019C5052nd Iran-ch Men Final 20193
Gholami,A2488Mosadeghpour,M25171–02019D3752nd Iran-ch Men Final 20193
Darini,P2475Gholami,A2488½–½2019B1052nd Iran-ch Men Final 20193
Tahbaz,A2468Khodashenas,M2455½–½2019A0652nd Iran-ch Men Final 20193
Khodashenas,M2455Moradi,A23211–02019C9652nd Iran-ch Men Final 20193
Gholami Orimi,M2377Idani,P26110–12019E3552nd Iran-ch Men Final 20193
Daghli,A2366Tahbaz,A24681–02019B0652nd Iran-ch Men Final 20193
Moradi,A2321Ghaem Maghami,E25331–02019B8752nd Iran-ch Men Final 20193
Firouzja,A2618Mosadeghpour,M25171–02019D3752nd Iran-ch Men Final 20194
Pourramezanali,A2528Khodashenas,M2455½–½2019D2052nd Iran-ch Men Final 20194
Gholami,A2488Ghaem Maghami,E2533½–½2019A0552nd Iran-ch Men Final 20194
Tahbaz,A2468Moradi,A23211–02019A4652nd Iran-ch Men Final 20194
Gholami Orimi,M2377Darini,P24750–12019E3252nd Iran-ch Men Final 20194
Daghli,A2366Idani,P2611½–½2019B2252nd Iran-ch Men Final 20194
Idani,P2611Tahbaz,A24681–02019C4552nd Iran-ch Men Final 20195
Ghaem Maghami,E2533Gholami Orimi,M2377½–½2019A1352nd Iran-ch Men Final 20195
Mosadeghpour,M2517Daghli,A23661–02019A4652nd Iran-ch Men Final 20195
Darini,P2475Firouzja,A26180–12019C7852nd Iran-ch Men Final 20195
Khodashenas,M2455Gholami,A2488½–½2019B4152nd Iran-ch Men Final 20195
Moradi,A2321Pourramezanali,A2528½–½2019A4652nd Iran-ch Men Final 20195
Firouzja,A2618Ghaem Maghami,E2533½–½2019B1152nd Iran-ch Men Final 20196
Idani,P2611Mosadeghpour,M25171–02019A1352nd Iran-ch Men Final 20196
Gholami,A2488Moradi,A23211–02019A0552nd Iran-ch Men Final 20196
Tahbaz,A2468Pourramezanali,A2528½–½2019B1952nd Iran-ch Men Final 20196
Gholami Orimi,M2377Khodashenas,M2455½–½2019E3352nd Iran-ch Men Final 20196
Daghli,A2366Darini,P24750–12019B2252nd Iran-ch Men Final 20196
Ghaem Maghami,E2533Daghli,A23661–02019E6452nd Iran-ch Men Final 20197
Pourramezanali,A2528Gholami,A24881–02019B1252nd Iran-ch Men Final 20197
Mosadeghpour,M2517Tahbaz,A24680–12019C7852nd Iran-ch Men Final 20197
Darini,P2475Idani,P2611½–½2019B2352nd Iran-ch Men Final 20197
Khodashenas,M2455Firouzja,A2618½–½2019B5352nd Iran-ch Men Final 20197
Moradi,A2321Gholami Orimi,M23770–12019C7752nd Iran-ch Men Final 20197
Firouzja,A2618Moradi,A23211–02019C9252nd Iran-ch Men Final 20198
Idani,P2611Ghaem Maghami,E25331–02019C0252nd Iran-ch Men Final 20198
Mosadeghpour,M2517Darini,P24751–02019C6552nd Iran-ch Men Final 20198
Tahbaz,A2468Gholami,A2488½–½2019B1252nd Iran-ch Men Final 20198
Gholami Orimi,M2377Pourramezanali,A25280–12019D4552nd Iran-ch Men Final 20198
Daghli,A2366Khodashenas,M24550–12019E1652nd Iran-ch Men Final 20198
Ghaem Maghami,E2533Mosadeghpour,M2517½–½2019D0252nd Iran-ch Men Final 20199
Pourramezanali,A2528Firouzja,A26180–12019B0452nd Iran-ch Men Final 20199
Gholami,A2488Gholami Orimi,M23771–02019A0552nd Iran-ch Men Final 20199
Darini,P2475Tahbaz,A24680–12019B0652nd Iran-ch Men Final 20199
Khodashenas,M2455Idani,P2611½–½2019B3052nd Iran-ch Men Final 20199
Moradi,A2321Daghli,A2366½–½2019E7352nd Iran-ch Men Final 20199
Firouzja,A2618Gholami,A2488½–½2019B1052nd Iran-ch Men Final 201910
Idani,P2611Moradi,A23212019A0552nd Iran-ch Men Final 201910
Mosadeghpour,M2517Khodashenas,M2455½–½2019A0552nd Iran-ch Men Final 201910
Darini,P2475Ghaem Maghami,E2533½–½2019B1252nd Iran-ch Men Final 201910
Tahbaz,A2468Gholami Orimi,M23770–12019C6552nd Iran-ch Men Final 201910
Daghli,A2366Pourramezanali,A2528½–½2019A4052nd Iran-ch Men Final 201910
Ghaem Maghami,E2533Tahbaz,A2468½–½2019E0452nd Iran-ch Men Final 201911
Pourramezanali,A2528Idani,P2611½–½2019B7852nd Iran-ch Men Final 201911
Gholami,A2488Daghli,A2366½–½2019B0952nd Iran-ch Men Final 201911
Khodashenas,M2455Darini,P2475½–½2019B5452nd Iran-ch Men Final 201911
Gholami Orimi,M2377Firouzja,A26180–12019A4052nd Iran-ch Men Final 201911
Moradi,A2321Mosadeghpour,M25170–12019C1152nd Iran-ch Men Final 201911

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Shahrokh is an authorized dentist in Denmark, graduated from Tehran Medical Sciences University. As a chess enthusiast, he enjoys chess by playing, training, writing articles and reporting chess news. He plays chess in tournaments and has been a team member of K41 Club at the first division of Danish League. He has written a bunch of articles in the only Iranian chess magazine, ‘’Mahname Shatranj’’. He also reports chess news and articles for Unity Chess Club in Arizona, USA.

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