"Currently, the situation is such that the experienced players are in the semifinals," said Honored Coach Anar Allahverdiyev in an interview with Idman.biz.
He commented on the progress of the Azerbaijan Chess Championship: "Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Teimour Radjabov, and Rauf Mammadov were already considered favorites, and the course of the championship confirmed that. They are now in the semifinals. It would have been nice to see young players like Aydın Suleymanli, Mahammad Muradlı, and Ahmad Ahmadzada in the semifinals. However, all of them were defeated in the 1/4 finals. Each of them showed excellent play in a tense environment. Personally, I am not disappointed with the young players."
According to the honored coach, when evaluating the performance of chess players, the format should also be taken into account: "Previously, the Azerbaijan Championship was held using the Swiss system. In nine rounds, even if a player lost, they could still show their level. However, in the Olympic system, players don't have this opportunity. If you lose once, the championship is over for you. This format has many positive aspects, especially for the spectators. Sometimes, watching nine rounds is difficult for them. In this format, everything can change in two games. A single good or bad move can determine whether you stay in the tournament or not. Therefore, those who leave the championship early should not be considered weak. For example, we can point to chess players like Nijat Abbasli and Vasif Durarbayli. Perhaps if they had played in the Swiss system, they might have lost one game but won the remaining eight. Maybe their preparation wasn't enough for the tournament. In any case, leaving the tournament early does not indicate weakness."
Allahverdiyev also emphasized that young female players did not meet expectations in the women's competition: "As for the rating, the expected results were achieved. Strong players like Gunay Mammadzada, Ulviyya Fataliyeva, and Govhar Beydullayeva are currently in the semifinals, demonstrating their high skill levels. However, we had certain expectations from the younger players in this championship. While we didn’t see this in the men's competition, the young female chess players did not meet expectations. On the other hand, our experienced player Sabina Ibrahimova played very well. Despite not playing for a long time, her return was far from bad."
The Azerbaijan Championship will continue until February 15.
Aytaj Sahed
Idman.biz
