TEHRAN - Swedish chess grandmaster Pia Cramling is happy to participate in the women’s world championship in Tehran, capital of Iran.

Cramling, who is the oldest participant to compete in the event among the 63 competitors, could not advance to the tournament’s last eight.

“I had a good chance to win my first match but failed to control the match and the game tied. I could have won my second match but it ended in a draw once again. In my third match, I made a huge mistake and lost to a better opponent,” Cramling said.

The current champion and No1, Hou Yifan, is absent in protest against the knockout format. The Chinese chess player dislikes the knockout system so she is not in Tehran.

“Hou Yifan is a great player and we can feel his absence but the competition got underway at the highest level,” Cramling said of Chinese player.

“I think the knockout format is very interesting and I like this system. The knockout system is more exciting,” the 53-year-old Swedish added.

“The Iranian people are very friendly and hospitable and I am interested in their cuisine,” Cramling concluded.