3rd International Chess Festival "President's Cup"

Azerbaijan Youth & Sport Ministry, National Olympic Committee, Azerbaijan Chess Federation and Republican Chess Center are organizing a Chess Festival dedicated to the memory of former president Heydar Aliev.

Four tournaments will take place:
Children tournament 09-19 May, Open tournament 12-20 May, Seniors tournament 10-19 May and Blitz tournament on 21 May. The total prize fund is $85.000 US, first prize in the Open is $7.000 US.


More information on the tournament website

The enemy is the enemy

Teimour Radjabov gave an interview for APA-Sport one day after the European team championship has ended. The article is titled "The enemy is the enemy, we hate Armenians", and Teimour supposedly said: We were very anxious. It does not mean where we compete, the enemy is the enemy. We all have feeling of hate. But we should suppress these feelings while competing so that they were not able to impede us.

I believe the article is just poorly translated to English. Radjabov exchanged few words with Vladimir Akopian after the game, team captains shook hands, Gabriel Sargissian and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov were buying drinks to each other in the disco...

Mamedyarov!

Shakhriyar Mamedyarov brought victory for Azerbaijan in the 3rd round of European championship. He sacrificed a rook against Peter Heine Nielsen and won in nice fashion.



Shakhriyar Mamedyarov - Peter Heine Nielsen
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e3 a6 6. a4 c5 7. Bxc4 Nc6 8. O-O Be7 9. Ne5 cxd4 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. exd4 O-O 12. b3 a5 13. Be3 Ba6 14. Qf3 Qb8 15. Rfc1 Rc8 16. h3 Bb7 17. Rd1 c5 18. Qe2 cxd4 19. Bxd4 Bc6 20. Rd3 Qb7 21. Rg3 Rd8 22. Be5 g6 23. Re1 Nd7 24. Bd4 Bf6 25. Bxf6 Nxf6 26. Qe5 Kg7 27. Ne2 Qb8 28. Qa1 Rd2 29. Nd4 Bb7 30. Rxe6 fxe6 31. Nxe6+ Kf7 32. Nf4+ Bd5 33. Nxd5 Nxd5 34. Rf3+ Kg8 35. Qe1 Rd4 36. Bxd5+ 1-0

Politics Killing Sport

We have heard the news from the World Junior Chess Championship when Iranian representative refused to play against Israeli junior and forfeited the game. This is not the first time that Israeli sportsmen were boycotted. The same U-20 World Championship is taking place in Erevan, Armenia and the absence of Azerbaijan juniors, who are by the way among the best in the world, is obvious.

Today in the 2nd round of the Essent Crown group, 2005-junior world champion Shakhryar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan beat 2006-champion Zaven Andriasian of Armenia. You can bet this will be the most important news in Azeri mainstream media.

Two nations are in a long standing conflict over the Nagorno Karabakh region. Teimour Radjabov was asked more about his loss to Armenian Levon Aronian at this year's Corus than about his fantastic result and shared first place at the same tournament. Radjabov also admitted that he was forcing too much because he so wanted to win against the Armenian.

Two nations were also paired in the same group in the qualifications for the European Football Championship 2008. Those two games haven't taken place yet, even if the cycle ends next month. They simply can't see each other's face, not even on the neutral field, as Belgrade suggested to be a host.

Speaking of Belgrade, Serbian football team was scheduled to play in Erevan and Baku this week. After 0-0 against Armenia, they were to fly to Baku. Alas, Azerbaijan refused any conversation about accepting a plane from Armenia territory. Serbian plane had to go to Tbilisi in Georgia, wait for Georgian transit visas, change flight code, and then continue to Baku. What a hassle! They were even advised not to take any souvenirs from Erevan, imagine.

Knowing very well consequences of unjustified banning of sports, as on "the great democrat" Garry Kasparov insisting, Serbia was expelled from the European Team Chess Championship 1992 after they already played 1st round, I am strongly against the intrusion of politics. Leave the sportsmen enjoy the games.

Andriasian and Mamedyarov chatting