The 19th Fajr International Chess Open Tournament is taking place from 25th February to 7th March in Mashhad, northeastern Iran, under management of the Chess Association of "Khorasan-Razavi" province and I.R.Iran Chess Federation.

246 players from 18 countries are taking participation. Among them are 24 Grandmasters and 16 International Masters. Top seeded is former World Champion GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov. The total prize fund amounts to 40.000 USD.

After six rounds of play the Dutch Grandmasters and former European Champion Sergei Tiviakov is sole leader with 5.5 points.

There follows a large group of players with 5.0 points each: GM Moiseenko Alexander UKR 2670, GM Ulibin Mikhail RUS 2547, GM Gleizerov Evgeny RUS 2581, IM Maghalashvili Davit GEO 2453, GM Mamedov Nidjat AZE 2580, GM Moradiabadi Elshan IRI 2558, IM Sebenik Matej SLO 2526, FM Ahmadinia E IRI 2417, GM Volkov Sergey RUS 2602, GM Ghaem Maghami Ehsan IRI 2604, GM Guseinov Gadir AZE 2591, GM Fedorov Alexei BLR 2593, IM Darban Morteza IRI 2320, GM Kotanjian Tigran ARM 2519 and GM Dzhumaev Marat UZB 2493.

Tournament website

Mashhad will also host the 10th Asian Continental Individual Championship on 1st to 11th May.