A unique incident took place in the Premier Division Chess League yesterday as Grand Master Ziaur Rahman took on his 11-year-old son Tahsin Tajwar Zia. The second GM of the country won the match after 69 moves, but not before facing stiff completion from his son in the close to three-and-a-half hour game.   

"Tajwar really gave a good fight. He had a clear advantage over me at one stage but he could not carry it to the last stage due to time pressure," Zia said after the match at the NSC Tower Auditorium Lounge. 

"There was no pressure on him from my side to become a chess player. He developed his own interest in chess while touring aboard with me," said Zia.

Tajwar, a class III student, is the highest ranked [1806] player in the under-12 group and the second highest ranked player in the under-14 group behind FIDE Master Mohammad Fahad Rahman. He has been participating in national sub-junior and open international tournaments for a few years.

"I am very happy to play against my father," Tajwar said. "I thought I would beat him today. I have beaten him once or twice at home."

International chess arbiter Haroon Ur Rashid praised the youngster highly.

"Tajwar was in good position to win the match. I think Zia would not get away from such a situation had the opponent been an experienced one. Time and physiological pressure might have played a role in Tajwar making some poor moves in the latter stages of the match," opined Haroon.

Meanwhile at the close the second round, holders Sheikh Russel Memorial SC, Saif SC, Bangladesh Navy Chess Team, Titas Club and Leonine Chess Club shared the lead.