ERBIL, Feb. 12 (AKnews) – Two femal chess players from the Kurdistan Region, Bizhar Wirya and Sonya Taha, have qualified for the Iraqi female chess competitions that started last week.
Twenty one female players from across Iraq participated in the competitions that were held in Baghdad’s Qais al-Sultan hotel.
Assad Ismael, a member of the Iraqi Chess Federation told AKnews that “the two Kurdish players performed well in the competitions and managed to reach the semi-finals”. They Kurds will play alongside Zaynab Abbasi and Aysha Ali from Baghdad for the finals in March
Sonya Taha told AKnews that she is eying not only the title of the competitions, but also “qualifying for the Iraqi Chess Team and other international achievements”
The four players who have made it to the semi-finals will play a tournament next month with the Iraqi chess team’s current five players. Out of the total 9 players, five will be chosen to represent the Iraqi team.
By Mohammed Karezi
RY/AKnews