"I’m hopeful that I’ll perform well in both the rapid and blitz formats at the 'Battle of Champions' tournament," said Azerbaijani chess player Gunay Mammadzada in an interview with Report, ahead of her match against Bulgarian Grandmaster and former World and European Champion Antoaneta Stefanova in the upcoming event in Baku.
Speaking about the duel, Mammadzada noted that she had previously faced Stefanova:
"The format of the tournament is quite interesting to me. For the first time, I’ll be playing rapid and blitz matches specifically against a single opponent. It’s a unique concept where Azerbaijani champions go head-to-head with world champions. I hope the audience will also find it engaging. I've played Stefanova before — I believe I have the upper hand in classical games, but I’m not sure about rapid. She's a strong opponent, and chess is full of surprises. I hope to deliver strong performances in both formats. Ultimately, everything depends on the games themselves. I prepare for all tournaments with the same level of focus, regardless of who my opponents are, and I haven’t undergone any special preparation for this event."
The Battle of Champions will be held from April 27 to 30 at the Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum. In another highly anticipated match, Azerbaijani champion Rauf Mammadov will take on the 15th World Champion, Viswanathan Anand of India.
Idman.biz
