TRIUMPH OF "GOLDEN GUYS"

The Azerbaijani national chess team for the second time has won the gold medal at the European championship, which was held in Warsaw. This team can well be called a "golden" one, as it has succeeded in claiming medals at the latest four continental tournaments -- an achievement no other European national team can boast.

The Azerbaijani chess team headed to the current championship without Vugar Hashimov, who is facing serious health problems. It was believed that the team, which was ranked sixth among the tournament participants, would have a hard time becoming a prize-winner. Everything was decided in the last, ninth round, during which the Azerbaijani team, which had secured the highest indicators, faced the Armenian team. In the other match, Russia competed with France - the main rivals of the Azerbaijani team in the competition for the triumphal gold medals.

If the French team had lost the game, it would be enough for the Azerbaijani team to draw with the Armenian team, while a defeat would have prevented Azerbaijan from claiming any award. But we were fortunate: the Russian chess players defeated the French team, while the Azerbaijani team, having tied with Armenia, gained 14 points and secured the European champion title.

It should be said, however, that as the game progressed, Azerbaijan's Teymur Rajabov had an advantage over his Armenian opponent, and could have sealed a win, if necessary.

This success showed the cohesion of the Azerbaijani team. After the victory S. Mammadyarov, T. Rajabov, E. Safarli, R. Mammadov, and G. Huseynov expressed their support for V. Hashimov on social networking websites, demonstrating that they have not forgotten the ailing chess player's contribution to the team's championship in 2009. It was Hashimov who secured the victory for the national team in the last leg of the tournament, after playing a tense five-hour match.

The young age of the national team's members indicates their high potential, and the Azerbaijani team is considered a front-runner at any tournament. Mammadyarov and Rajabov could lead any team, and we can expect even greater results from this duo, which has put their names on the list of the world's best grandmasters. Stable performance by Mammadov and Huseynov is of great importance for the national team. E. Safarli has already taken his place in the team and can provide assistance at the right moment.

Certainly, the national team's new captain, Alexander Khalifman, who was helping to choose a successful chess opening, and, most importantly, managed to secure unity in the team, also played a great role in the latest championship win.

Now it's time to vie for gold at world championships and the Chess Olympiad. And, of course, the main goal is to bring the "chess crown" back to Baku. One of the "golden guys" has to make that happen.

President Ilham Aliyev said at a meeting with members of the Azerbaijani team that this victory reflects the profound intellectual potential of the Azerbaijani people. President Aliyev noted that the basis of the chess traditions was laid by the national leader Heydar Aliyev in the 1970s, and currently work is underway to popularise this sport and chess schools are being built in the Azerbaijani regions.

This victory, the president said, is also of great importance from the viewpoint of strengthening the country's international image. According to him, the decision to conduct the Chess Olympiad in Azerbaijan was a logical result of our chess players' success.

After this win the Chess Federation allowed the national team's leaders Teymur Rajabov and Saxriyar Mammadyarov to rest and made a decision to send the young chess players to the 9th team world championship to be held in Antalya, Turkey this week. Azerbaijan was included at the last moment in the final bid of the tournament by a wild-card invitation extended by FIDE.

T. Rajabov and S. Mammadyarov will take part in the World Mind Sports Games in Beijing in December. Besides, Mammadyarov should now begin training for the qualifying tournament, which will kick off in March. 

Unfortunately, the advances of the Azerbaijani men's national team could not be supported by the female chess players. The women's national team, having won four matches, lost five other games, and ranked 20th after gaining 8 points. The women's competition was won by Ukraine, which gained 15 points. Ukraine was followed by the Russian and Polish teams which scooped 14 points each and ranked second and third, respectively.