Atousa Pourkashiyan (Persian: آتوسا پورکاشیان; Persian pronunciation: [ɒːtuːˈsɒː puːɾkɒːʃiˈyɒːn]; born 16 May 1988) is an Iranian-American chess player. She holds the title of Woman Grandmaster, which FIDE awarded her in 2009.[1]

Atousa Pourkashiyan
Pourkashiyan in 2010
CountryIran (until 2022)
United States (since 2022)
Born (1988-05-16) 16 May 1988 (age 35)
Tehran, Iran
Spouse
(m. 2023)
TitleWoman Grandmaster (2009)
FIDE rating2270 (March 2024)
Peak rating2374 (May 2011)
Medal record
Chess
Representing  Iran
Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Doha Mixed Team classical
Asian Indoor Games
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Quang Ninh Mixed Team blitz
Asian Chess Championships
Gold medal – first place 2010 Subic Bay Individual

Career edit

Pourkashiyan is seven-time Iranian women's champion (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014) and a record holder among Iranian women chess players.

She was born in Tehran.[2] Pourkashiyan won the World Youth Chess Championship of 2000 in the Girls U12 category.

In April 2010 Pourkashiyan won the Asian Women's Chess Championship in Subic Bay.[3] She competed in the Women's World Chess Championship in 2006, 2008, 2012, 2017.

In team competitions, she has played for Iran at eight Women's Chess Olympiads (2000-2014), the Women's Asian Team Chess Championship, and the World Youth U16 Chess Olympiad.[4]

In 2023, she won an individual silver medal on Board 5 in the FIDE Women's Team Championship, helping Team USA reach the semifinals. [5]

Personal life edit

Atousa married American grandmaster and five-time US Champion Hikaru Nakamura in 2023.[6]

She was in the news alongside Sarasadat Khademalsharieh when they competed at the World Rapid and Blitz Championship 2022, without a hijab, amidst the Mahsa Amini protests.[7] In December 2022, she changed her federation from Iran to the United States, where she currently resides.

References edit

  1. ^ "Titles approved at the 1st Quarter Presidential Board 2009". FIDE.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  2. ^ "Title Applications. 1st quarter Presidential Board, 5-8 March 2009, Istanbul, TUR". FIDE.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
  3. ^ "Asia Continental Chess Championships 2010". Chessdom.com. Archived from the original on 4 May 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  4. ^ "Women's Chess Olympiads :: Atousa Pourkashiyan". Olimpbase.org. Archived from the original on 24 February 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  5. ^ US Chess (12 September 2023). "USA Finishes Fourth in FIDE Women's World Team Championship". US Chess. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  6. ^ Svensen (TarjeiJS), Tarjei J. (26 July 2023). "Hikaru Nakamura Finds His Queen, Marries Atousa Pourkashiyan". Chess.com. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Iranian chess players Sara Khadem and Atousa Pourkashiyan compete in international tournament without hijab". Sky News. Retrieved 27 July 2023.

External links edit

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Women's Asian Chess Champion
2010
Succeeded by