SERIOUS TEST

The Baku Open 2024, an international chess festival, was held in the Azerbaijani capital. The event was held at the Sports Palace, where 308 athletes from 12 countries were in attendance.

It is evident that the performance of the Azerbaijani representatives at the tournament, which was held to commemorate the centenary of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), was not as successful as might have been hoped. In the men's event, four chess players achieved a total of only seven points.

Sina Movahed of Iran was declared the champion by virtue of having accrued the highest number of extra points. Second and third place were respectively awarded to India's Abhimanyu Puranik and Mittal Aditya. The most successful of the Azerbaijani participants was Vugar Asadli, who achieved fifth place with a score of 6.5 points.

In the women's category, the winner was Polina Shuvalova of Russia, representing FIDE, who scored 6.5 points. Subsequently, Bibisara Asaubaeva of Kazakhstan (6.5 points) and Meruert Kamalidenova (5.5 points) secured the next positions. Gulnar Mammadova, who achieved a score of 5.5 points, was placed fourth overall.

The Azerbaijan Veterans Championship, held as part of the Festival, attracted considerable interest due to the quality of the competition. Ilgar Bajarani, a seasoned competitor, derived immense satisfaction from his performance in the championship. Second place was achieved by Fikret Sideif-zade, while Akif Velibayov attained third place.

In Group B, in different categories, Nurlan Ganizade, Medina Eyvazova (both in the 8-year-old tournament), Eldar Aghajanov, Maryam Mammadova (10-year-olds), Ahmed Huseynov and Zahra Allahverdi (12-year-olds) were the first to be placed and thus gained the right to represent Azerbaijan at the European Championship.

Baku is one of the world's leading chess centres

FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, who was present at the tournament, spoke about the attention paid to the development of chess in Azerbaijan: ‘First of all, I would like to thank all the structures that have contributed to the competition.’ Baku is regarded as one of the global hubs for chess. The game has a long-standing tradition in Azerbaijan, and considerable resources have been allocated to its advancement. The city has hosted the World Chess Olympiad and the World Cup on two occasions. The chess community is gratified to be participating in a distinguished competition held in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of FIDE.

It is worthy of note that the President of FIDE presented Azerbaijani Youth and Sports Minister Farid Gayibov and head of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation (ACF) Mahir Mammadov with a special commemorative medal dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of FIDE.

Anticipations for the Budapest Olympiad

In regard to the performance of Azerbaijani chess players, the head of the USAF, Mahir Mammadov, made the following observation regarding the final outcome: "The Baku Open served as a significant challenge for our chess players in the lead-up to the World Chess Olympiad." The preparation of the chess players has been subject to monitoring. The coaching staff will undertake a detailed analysis of the areas in which improvement is required. Teams comprising both male and female participants are undergoing preparation in accordance with a bespoke programme. At the time of writing, our team has not yet secured a position among the medallists of the Olympiad. It is our contention that this year's esteemed competition will prove a fruitful endeavour for our team.

The composition of the country's national teams, which will participate in the forthcoming Olympiad in Budapest from 10-23 September, has already been determined. The men's chess team will be comprised of Shahriyar Mammadyarov, Rauf Mammadov, Nijat Abasov, Aydin Suleymanli, and Magomed Muradli. Teymur Rajabov was selected to serve as the team captain. In the women's team, Gunay Mammadzade, Govhar Beydullayeva, Khanim Balajayeva, Ulviyya Fataliyeva, and Gulnar Mammadova will compete for the highest honours. The team is led by Mikhail Sherevsky. A review of the line-up suggests that the Azerbaijani women's team will adopt a more ambitious approach.

The men's team, which is comprised of younger chess players, will likely encounter greater challenges in its pursuit of medals. This will be the first occasion on which Teymur Rajabov, a seasoned competitor, assumes the role of team captain. Teymur Rajabov, a World Cup winner, has demonstrated leadership qualities that could prove beneficial to the team's success. Azerbaijan's champion Aydin Suleymanli and the promising Magomed Muradli will be defending the honour of the national team for the first time in their respective careers. The Olympiad will serve as a significant challenge for both chess players.