35 Facts About Alireza Firouzja

Alireza Firouzja left the Iranian Chess Federation in 2019 because of the country's longstanding policy against competing with Israeli players.

Alireza Firouzja played under the FIDE flag until mid-2021, when he became a French citizen and began representing France, where he had already been living.

Alireza Firouzja started playing chess at the age of eight.

Alireza Firouzja moved to Chartres, France, in 2019 and subsequently obtained French citizenship in July 2021.

Alireza Firouzja won the gold medal in the U12 section at the Asian Youth Chess Championships held in 2015 in Suwon.

Alireza Firouzja played in the Stars Cup 2016, an initiative by the Iranian chess federation which pitted the nation's established top players and its new wave of rising stars against some of the strongest grandmasters in the world.

In February 2017, Alireza Firouzja finished tied for 3rd place in the Khazar cup, behind the winner, Ferenc Berkes.

Alireza Firouzja was awarded the GM title by FIDE in April 2018.

Alireza Firouzja took part in the 2018 Malaysian Open, tying for second place behind winner Wang Hao.

In July 2018, Alireza Firouzja represented Iran at the Asian Nations Cup, held in Hamadan.

At the 2018 World Rapid Championship held in Saint Petersburg, Alireza Firouzja finished in sixth place in a field of world-class players, behind Daniil Dubov, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Hikaru Nakamura, Vladislav Artemiev and Magnus Carlsen.

Alireza Firouzja won his first two games but refused to play against the Israeli FIDE Master Or Bronstein in the third round, thus forfeiting the game.

Alireza Firouzja then lost in the fourth round to 1945-rated Antonia Ziegenfuss.

In May, Alireza Firouzja faced Peruvian grandmaster Jose Martinez-Alcantara in round one of the 2019 Junior Speed Chess Championship, an online blitz and bullet competition hosted by Chess.

Alireza Firouzja won the rapid event by defeating Alberto David in the final.

Alireza Firouzja drew with Ding in the two classical games, but lost both of the rapid tiebreakers and was eliminated from the tournament.

On 27 December, Alireza Firouzja announced that he would no longer play under the Iran chess federation after Iran withdrew its players from the 2019 World Rapid and Blitz Championship to uphold their ban against Iranians playing against Israelis.

Alireza Firouzja was the first-ever Iranian-born grandmaster to go on a podium in the history of the competition.

Alireza Firouzja became the first Iranian to compete in the Masters' bracket of the tournament; Parham Maghsoodloo had previously competed in the 2019 Tata Steel Challengers.

Alireza Firouzja placed sixth overall and did not advance to the four-way playoff.

Alireza Firouzja finished in second place, behind World Champion Magnus Carlsen and ahead of Levon Aronian, Fabiano Caruana and Jan-Krzysztof Duda.

Alireza Firouzja had a 2806 TPR for the event and went up to number 13 in the world rankings.

Alireza Firouzja applied for and obtained French nationality in July 2021.

Alireza Firouzja was the 8th seed at the Chess World Cup 2021, but was knocked out in the second round by Javokhir Sindarov.

In September, Alireza Firouzja finished in second place in the Norway Chess supertournament 2021 edition, behind Magnus Carlsen, but ahead of a field including World Championship challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi and former challenger Sergey Karjakin.

Alireza Firouzja became the fourth-youngest player to qualify for a Candidates Tournament.

Alireza Firouzja finished in third place after the tiebreaks, won by Vachier-Lagrave.

In May, Alireza Firouzja participated in the Superbet Chess Classic held in Bucharest, Romania, the first leg of 2022 Grand Chess Tour.

Alireza Firouzja lost the third round to Nepomniachtchi, won the fifth round against Leinier Dominguez and lost the final round to Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, who went on to win the tournament.

From 16 June to 5 July, Alireza Firouzja participated in the 2022 Candidates Tournament held in Madrid, Spain, having qualified to play by winning the Grand Swiss in 2021.

Alireza Firouzja did not play in the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai, along with Vachier-Lagrave and Etienne Bacrot, citing exhaustion and hot weather.

In May, Alireza Firouzja participated in the Superbet Chess Classic in Bucharest, eventually finishing tied for second, ending up with a +1 score, losing two games and winning three, including one over then recently crowned world champion Ding Liren and the runner up in the 2023 World Chess Championship, Ian Nepomniachtchi.

At the 2024 Candidates Tournament in April, Alireza Firouzja finished in seventh place.

Alireza Firouzja started 2025 at the first leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Weissenhaus, Germany.

On 1 March 2025, Alireza Firouzja signed with the Saudi Arabian esports organization Team Falcons, joining Nakamura.