The Vice-President of the Azerbaijani Chess Federation talks about the
specifics of a traditional tournament, gathering world renowned chess
grandmasters.
The Baku President’s Cup started on April 29th, gathering many
well-known chess grandmasters, like ex-champion of the world Vladimir
Kramnik, who could be called the star of the start of the tournament.
The tournament involves speed and blitz matches. Before the start of
the tournament, Vice-President of the Azerbaijani Chess Federation
Mair Mamedov told VK about the specifics of this tournament compared
with previous ones.
- Last year the President’s Cup was marked by the match between the
national teams of Azerbaijan and the rest of the world. What is the
current tournament peculiar for, what surprises have the organizers
prepare for us this time?
- The tournament is dedicated to the common national memory of Geydar
Aliyev, becoming a traditional fixture. This tournament is marked out
for its elitism and momentum. The first aspect is shown by the
presence of chess stars like world ex-champion Vladimir Kramnik,
ex-holder of the Chess World Cup Gata Kamsky, and Emil Sutovsky, the
leader of the Israeli National Team. I must also mention Judith
Polgar, who only plays in matches against men and is considered one of
the leading world chess masters. Four members of the Azerbaijani
National Team will participate – Teimur Radjabov, Shakhriyar
Mammadyarov, Rauf Mammadov and Qadir Huseynov. These eight players
will compete for the title of the strongest in a speed chess
tournament consisting of 7 rounds. Then they will participate in a
blitz match, together with eight more Azerbaijani chess players,
selected in the qualifying round. On the final day Kramnik, Kamsky
Sutovsky, Polgar and our leading chess grandmasters will compete in a
simultaneous chess game on 8 boards in Sakhil Park.
- How were the President’s Cup challengers selected?
- It is all very simple. Veselin Topalov is competing for the world
chess crown at the moment, as is Vishwabathan Anand, so their arrival
was excluded. We wanted to invite Alexei Shirov, but he was
participating in a tournament in Italy. The tournament special event
is the arrival of Polgar, a beautiful women with an exceptional track
record.
- The President’s Cup interposed the world chess crown and the final
stage of the Grand-Prix in Astrakhan, where Mammadyarov and Radjabov are playing. Can we say that the Cup in Azerbaijan will be a
preparation for the Grand-Prix?
- As you remember, last year Anand was heading the World Team against
Azerbaijan. It was Baku that received the ‘Chess Oscar’. If it weren’t
for Topalov the champion wouldn’t visit Baku again. But due to the
honorary mission, defending the championship title, the matter of an
invitation was excluded from the start. The maths with Topalov will be
very interesting, the first rounds showed the uncompromising struggle
and the mad level of preparation of the opponents. As for the
Grand-Prix, after the President’s Cup and a simultaneous game session,
our grand chess masters will go to Astrakhan, where Radjabov has the
best chances of victory. Vugar Gashimov has a good chance as well.
- Do you expect the arrival of distinguished guests from the World
Chess Federation (FIDE) to Baku?
- The authorities of the World Chess Federation are in Sofia at the
moment at the match for the world crown. The match was long expected,
so all the heads of FIDE, journalists and leading specialists are in
Bulgaria. But we cannot change the date of the President’s Cup, since
it is dedicated to the birthday of Geydar Aliyev. At the same time,
one of the judges of the President’s Cup is a very authoritative man,
the chief executive of the Russian Chess Federation, Alexander Bakh.
- The competition for the President’s Cup is usually for speed chess.
Could this be called the ideal format for the tournament?
- I do not think so. The round before the previous one was also the
first stage of FIDE's Grand-Prix, in which the world elite
participated. It was held as an open tournament, in that those rounds
were the basis for putting the President’s Cup on a new level. Last
year’s matches between the Azerbaijani National Team and the rest of
the world was to highlight the current level of chess in the republic.
This year we could go on to the classical format, taking into account
the fast start of our players in the sixth stage of the Grand-Prix of
FIDE. In other words, every step is explainable and next year’s
President’s Cup may be held in classical chess format. The problem is
that there is no stability in the international schedule, so we have
to adapt to the reality we have.
Zaki Feyzullayev
