Iranian chess grandmaster Ehsan Ghaem Maghami has put on an impressive display of skill and stood on top of the podium at the 43rd Annual World Open in the United States.
On Sunday and in the eighth round of the blitz section of the competitions held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, the 32-year-old Iranian national overcame American grandmaster Varuzhan Akobian, the Islamic Republic of Iran Chess Federation reported on Monday.
Ghaem Maghami, however, drew level with 25-year-old American chess player Aleksandr Lenderman in the ninth round.
The Iranian sportsman came first with the overall score of 7 out of 9, and shared the place with Ilya Yulievich Smirin of Israel, Azerbaijans Rauf Mamedov, Paraguayan chess player Axel Bachmann Schiavo, Lenderman from the US, Ukrainian grandmaster Illya Igorevich Nyzhnyk and Alexander Ipatov of Turkey.
Ghaem Maghami secured 26 units to his international rating following the two contests.
The 43rd Annual World Open opened on June 30, and wrapped up on July 5.
Ghaem Maghami is the first international grandmaster in Iranian chess history, and the best Iranian chess player with regards to his ranking and rating since the age of 14.
In 2011, he claimed the Guinness record for simultaneous chess games after facing more than 600 players in over 25 hours.