June 28, 2019
Iranian chess player Alireza Firouzja, 15, has refused to face an Israeli opponent, Or Bronstein, during the Grenke Chess Open in Germany. Grenke is the biggest chess open event in Europe.
When the organizers announced the start of the third round, Firouzja, one of the grandmasters in the event, was missing from his seat.
This had major consequences for Firouzja in the tournament, which offered 20,000 euros ($23,000) for first prize and the opportunity to enter classic tournaments.
He had to forfeit the match against Bronstein. In his next match, Firouzja, visibly shaking, lost against a weak opponent. But he went on to win his last five games. He finished in a tie for ninth place.
Usually, the organizers of such chess events have adjusted the schedule dictated by a computer program so that Iranians do not face Israelis. But the European chess umbrella group has recently balked at that and insisted that the computer draw be adhered to strictly, the German de Volkskrant reported. As a result, there may be more of these Israeli-Iranian draws.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred. In January, another Iranian player, Aryan Gholami, refused to play Israeli Ariel Erenberg in the Rilton Cup in Sweden. Gholami forfeited his chance to win $10,000.
Hailed a hero by officials in Iran, the 17-year-old met with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenehi in February, receiving a kiss on the forehead and praise for his decision.
Gholami told Swedish chess website Schack.se that he had no ill will toward the Israeli, but, “if I were to play against an Israeli, it would have serious consequences for me.”
Playing against Israelis can have major consequences for Iranians, as was the case for Borna Derakhshani in 2017. The 14-year old chess player was banned by the Iran Chess Federation for life for playing against an Israeli. He now plays for England.
His sister, Dora, five years older, also was banned for playing an Israeli. She has settled in St. Louis, where she studies chess and biology at a local college. Last year, she participated in the US chess championships.