Namig Guliyev, an international grandmaster, spoke to the press service of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation, reflecting on the 2025 Azerbaijan Chess Championship and his match with Teymur Rajabov in the 1/8 finals.
Idman.biz reports that Guliyev emphasized that this year’s national championship stands out as one of the most prestigious in Azerbaijan's chess history:
"This is the strongest championship in Azerbaijan's chess history. It is a historic event."
Guliyev further elaborated on the distinct nature of this year's tournament:
"In previous years, there were efforts to organize such a championship, but it was difficult to bring all the top players together. It's exciting that, finally, we have this competition."
The grandmaster also discussed his 1/8 final defeat to Teimour Radjabov, one of the world's top players:
"In the first game, I had no major issues. But towards the end of the match, I made a significant mistake, which led to my loss. In the second game, I put pressure on him until the very end. Based on the overall result, I lost and ended my tournament."
He further speculated on the potential final match between Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Teimour Radjabov, stating:
"It feels like you’re playing a final when you face Rajabov. He has immense knowledge and experience. I think the final might not turn out as expected. We might not even see the Mamedyarov-Radjabov match."
Guliyev lost to Radjabov with a score of 0.5-1.5.
Idman.biz
