The top player list updated bimonthly shows Aronian having a rating of 2820, trailing the top-ranked grandmaster Magnus Carlsen from Norway by 15 points.

The aim of the new chess center initiated by the two chess aces and good friends and sponsored by the Armenian Chess Federation is to promote the advancement of promising players aged 10-18.

In the 13th and final round of the annual Tata Steel tournament in Wijk aan Zee Aronian earned a draw against Azeri grandmaster Teimour Radjabov to score 9 points overall and finish on top of the 14-man standings.

Aronian scored his latest win – his six in 10 games in Wijk aan Zee – against Dutch grandmaster Anish Giri. Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, Aronian’s main rival, tied with Hikaru Nakamura from the United States.

Kursova, 26, from Russia, came to Armenia for permanent residence last year after marrying one of the country’s leading grandmasters Arman Pashikyan. She became affiliated with the local chess federation and started to represent Armenia at international competitions beginning last September.

After eight rounds of play in Group A at Wijk aan Zee’s Tata Steel both grandmasters have a joint lead with 5 ½ points each, half a point clear of the closest rival Teymour Radjabov of Azerbaijan.