Grigorian, Kharatian - newest chess stars appear

Published: Saturday January 30, 2010

Grigorian (right) and Kharatian. . Photolure

Yerevan - Avetik Grigorian took the Armenian chess crown with one tour left to go in the national championship, Armenian news agencies reported on January 30. 

As of January 1, 2010, 20-year-old Grigorian was rated thirteenth among Armenia's chess players.  

22-year-old Anahit Kharatyan became the winner of the women's chess championship, winning in the final round on January 31. 

In the men's championship Mr. Grigoryan did better than half a dozen better rated players, although the country's four highest rated chess masters, Levon Aronian (the 2002 champ), Gabriel Sargsian (2000 and 2003), Vladimir Akopian (1996 and 1997) and Arman Pashikian (2009), did not participate.

The men's championship was 70th in Armenia's history. The women's was 65th.