Iran opens World Chess Olympiad with victory

Iranian men and women chess players have firmly defeated rivals at Round 1 of the 42nd World Chess Olympiad underway in Baku.


The long-anticipated 42nd World Chess Olympiad began on Friday at the Baku Chrystal Hall with the games of the first round.


A record breaking 180 teams compete in the Open Section, while the Women Section has 140 teams participating.


Iran's national team present at the sportive event is consisted of Ehsan Ghaem Maghami, Parham Maghsoodloo, Shahin Lorparizanganeh, Alireza Firouzja in Men's section as well as Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, Atousa Pourkashian, Mitra Hejazipour, Ghazal Hakimifard as well as Homa Alavi in Women's section.


Competing in Round 1 of the tournament, Men's squad of Iran overcame Botswana 4-0 and will take on Georgia in the second round.


Women chess players of Iran also defeated Guatemala 4-0 and are scheduled to meet up Singapore in Round 2.


The World Chess Olympiad is a biennial event that has been held since 1927 while the 2016 edition of World Chess Olympiad kicked off yesterday in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku and will come to an end on September 14.


The defending champions are China after a maiden victory at the last games in Tromso, Norway, in 2014; the women's defending champions are many-time winners Russia.

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