Parham Maghsoodloo Wins 2nd Sharjah Masters Chess Championship

Seventeen-year-old Grandmaster Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran emerged victorious in the 2nd Sharjah Masters Chess Championship, showcasing his exceptional skills and strategic gameplay. Maghsoodloo secured the top prize of $15,000 by forcing a draw with Yuriy Kryvoruchko of Ukraine in the final round, finishing with an impressive 8 points out of 9 rounds.

Defending champion Wang Hao of China and Eltaj Safarli of Azerbaijan tied for second place with 7 points each, after drawing with each other in a Ruy Lopez game. Wang’s only loss in the tournament was to the eventual champion, Maghsoodloo, in the 5th round.

The tournament, held at the Sharjah Chess Club, featured a total prize fund of $57,000, with players from around the world competing for the top honors. GMs Kryvoruchko, S.P Sethuraman, B. Adhiban of India, Vladislav Artemiev, Ernesto Inarkiev of Russia, Eduardo Iturrizaga Bonelli of Venezuela, Pavel Eljanov of Ukraine, Arkadij Naidtsch of Azerbaijan, and Ahmed Adly of Egypt shared the 4th to 12th places with 6.5 points each.

In the final round, Iturrizaga used the Queen’s Fianchetto defense to checkmate Manuel Petrosyan of Armenia in a marathon 93 moves, while Jumabayev utilized the Queen’s Gambit Declined to defeat IM Amin Tabatabaei of Iran in 52 moves.

The tournament showcased the immense talent and competitive spirit of the players, with intense matches and strategic maneuvers keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. Maghsoodloo’s victory solidified his position as a rising star in the world of chess, while the other players displayed their prowess and determination throughout the championship.