Azerbaijani chess players advance in FIDE ranking

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has published its ranking for October, Azernews reports.

Shahriyar Mammadyarov has the best index among the owners of local intelligence.

The 39-year-old grandmaster, who has 2733 rating points, dropped one place and took 18th place.

Teymur Rajabov (2700) maintained his position in 31st place. Rauf Mammadov (2643) advanced 10 places and rose to the 90th place.

Aydin Suleymanli, a 19-year-old Azerbaijani chess player, was among the world's best grandmasters for the first time. He ranked 100th with 2637 points.

Among Azerbaijani female chess players, Gunay Mammadzade holds the 34th position with a rating of 2426, followed by Govhar Beydullayeva in 45th place with a rating of 2402. Ulviyya Fataliyeva is ranked 67th with a rating of 2383, while Khanum Balajayeva is in 83rd place with a rating of 2362. Notably, Govhar Beydullayeva has moved up by 8 spots compared to the previous month's rankings, and Ulviyya Fataliyeva has advanced by one spot.

Leading the global rankings is Norway's Magnus Carlsen with a rating of 2831, followed by US player Hikaru Nakamura in 2nd place with a rating of 2802, and Indian player Arjun Erigaisi in 3rd place with a rating of 2797.

Chess for centuries has been a popular game in Azerbaijan with ancient roots closely related to traditions. The country could preserve these traditions as the chess remains to be a crucially popular sport for now.

To popularise this original game, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, who is also the chairman of the National Olympic Committee, signed in 2009 an executive order initiating a state-supported chess development program, covering the years 2009-2014.

The 42nd Chess Olympiad, held in Baku, is indeed an excellent example of great attention paid to the development of chess games in the country.

The large-scale event attracted a total of 1,587 participants, including 894 in the Open category and 693 in the Women's event, making the Baku Chess Olympiad a significant event.

Similarly, the FIDE World Chess Cup 2023 in Baku captivated chess fans with its high-calibre competition and exhilarating matches.

Featuring a highly competitive lineup, the World Cup provided an exciting venue to display the remarkable skill and strategic finesse of elite chess players.

Approximately 206 competitors participated in the open section, along with 103 players in the women's competition.

The national chess players have always been taking high places at top-ranked tournaments.