Erbil... The Asian Seniors Chess Championship was held for the first time, with the participation of 14 countries

This evening, Sunday, October 5, 2025, the Asian Seniors Chess Championship commenced in the capital, Erbil, for the first time. The tournament is set to continue for 9 days, featuring the participation of 14 countries and 44 players.
The opening was attended by Rebar Ahmed, Minister of Interior; Omed Khoshnaw, Governor of Erbil; Safeen Dizayee, Head of the Department of Foreign Relations; Zana Mala Khalid, Head of KDP Branch 2; Sardar Ismail, Director General of Sports; as well as a number of consuls and envoys from various countries, the President and members of the Asian Chess Federation, the Iraqi Chess Federation, chess clubs, athletes, and sports enthusiasts.
 

This championship is the first of its kind to be held in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq with the participation of senior chess players from various countries. The competitors include several male and female Grandmasters—the highest chess title holders—who are all over the age of 50.
 

The participating countries are: (Iraq, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Yemen, Cambodia, Palestine, Oman, Afghanistan, and India).