Fahad, Jannatul qualify for Chess World Cup

Bangladesh’s International Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman and Women Candidate Master Jannatul Ferdous qualified for the FIDE Chess World Cup 2023 as they emerged unbeaten champions in their respective category of the Bangabandhu Asian Zone-3.2 Chess Championship at the Hotel Purbani International in Dilkusha on Wednesday.

For Fahad, this is his second World Cup bout, while this is the first time Jannatul will head to the global event.

In the Open category, IM Fahad secured the title scoring seven and a half points out of nine.

Bangladesh’s Fide Master Tahsin Tazwar Zia finished second with seven points and Sri Lankan FM Liyanage Ranindu Dilshan finished third.

GM Enamul Hossain Razib finished fourth with six points.

In the women’s category, WCM Jannatul secured her place in the FIDE World Cup after she became the undefeated champion scoring 7 points. WFM Noshin Anjum finished second with the same points.

Another Bangladeshi WFM Master Nazarana Khan Eva finished third with 6.5 points.

In the ninth round of Open division, IM Fahad defeated CM Md Sharif Hossain to secure the top spot ahead of second-placed FM Zia. In the final round of the women’s division, WCM Jannat drew with Nepalese WFM Sujana Lohani.

The prize distribution ceremony of the tournament was held after the final round of matches. Md Nazrul Islam, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Freedom Fighter Brigadier General Shahidullah Chowdhury (Retd), the Executive Director of Abul Khair Group, Syed Shahab Uddin Shamim, President of FIDE Zone-3.2, and General Secretary of Bangladesh Chess Federation were present as special guests at the ceremony.

Dr Benazir Ahmed, President of the South Asian Chess Council and Bangladesh Chess Federation and former Inspector General of Bangladesh Police, was the chief guest at the function and distributed the prizes among the winners.

WCM Jannat will achieve the Women’s International Master title directly for her feat in the tournament, and her rating will be 2000.

Six other players will get the Women Candidate Master title.

56 players from six countries participated in the open category while 22 players from six countries participated in the women’s category.

The winners of the two categories were awarded a total cash prize of $6,000 (approx. BDT 6,44,000).