Syrian Upsets Top Seed Iranian GM in Zone 3.1 Zonal Hybrid Chess Championship

Syrian FIDE Master Malek Koniahli (2255) upset top seed GM Pouya Idani (2614) of Iran to share early lead with two other players from Jordan and Iran after two rounds of the Asian Zone 3.1 Zonal Hybrid Chess Championship on Tornelo. Above is the panoramic camera view of the playing venue in Syria.

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Tied for the lead at 2 points apiece are Koniahli, Malik Saif of Jordan and GM Aryan Gholami of Iran. Twenty three top players from eight countries are competing in the7-round Swiss. The champion shall qualify into the FIDE World Cup this July in Sochi, Russia.

Koniahli essayed a Queen’s Pawn Game. Idani gave up a Rook for Knight exchange on the 11th move to advance his b-pawn. The Syrian countered by penetrating with his Rook on the seventh rank. Idani resigned on the 31st move facing loss of material to save his beleaguered Queen (see diagram below).

Malik turned back the Trompovsky Attack of FM Ammar Sedrani of the UAE. The Jordanian made a temporary Rook sacrifice on the 28th move but lost his trapped Queen on the 32nd move. Malik attacked the exposed King and Sedrani resigned after 47 moves facing mate or loss of material (see diagram below).

Gholami used the Nimzo Indian Defense to turn back IM Omran Al Hosni of the UAE in only 20 moves as the Emirati resigned facing the loss of his trapped Queen.

Here are the results of round 2:

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Rd 1: Asian Zone 3.1 Zonal Hybrid Chess Championship