Atousa Pourkashiyan
Iranian-American chess player (born 1988)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Atousa Pourkashiyan (Persian: آتوسا پورکاشیان; Persian pronunciation: [ɒːtuːˈsɒː puːɾkɒːʃiˈjɒːn]; 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 | |
| Born | 16 May 1988 Tehran, Iran |
| Alma mater | University of Tehran |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Chess career | |
| Country | Iran (until 2022) United States (since 2022) |
| Title | Woman Grandmaster (2009) |
| FIDE rating | 2238 (December 2025) |
| Peak rating | 2374 (May 2011) |
Career
Pourkashiyan began playing chess when she was 8 years old. She is a 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, Pourkashiyan won an individual silver medal on Board 5 in the FIDE Women's Team Championship, helping Team USA reach the semifinals.[5]
In 2024, Pourkashiyan won the XV Americas Women’s Continental Chess Championship, qualifying her for the 2025 Women's Chess World Cup.[6]
Personal life
Pourkashiyan studied at the University of Tehran and received a bachelor’s degree in sport science and physical education and a master’s degree in sport management.[7]
Pourkashiyan married American grandmaster and five-time US Champion Hikaru Nakamura in 2023.[8]
Pourkashiyan was in the news alongside Sarasadat Khademalsharieh when she competed at the World Rapid and Blitz Championship 2022, without a hijab, amidst the Mahsa Amini protests.[9] In December 2022, she changed her federation from Iran to the United States, where she currently resides.
