346
In the midst of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, a rare and unexpected moment unfolded on the chessboard.
At an international tournament in Budapest, Israeli chess player Yarden Bloch from Kiryat Haim found herself paired against an unusual opponent: Milad Shakhtar, the only Iranian player in the competition.
The matchup alone was surprising. Iranian athletes are generally barred by their federation from competing against Israelis, and Bloch said she initially assumed the game would not take place.
“Honestly, I didn’t think the game would happen,” she said. “I knew the Iranian federation doesn’t allow players to face Israelis, so I thought I would win by default.”
Continue reading this article on ynetnews.com
