Azerbaijani GM gets historic success

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijan’s grandmaster Shahriyar Mammadyarov has achieved a historic success, as he entered the Top 5 in the FIDE ranking for the first time.

He scored 2,800 points and improved his positions in the world chess ranking.

Now, the GM follows Norwegian world chess champion Magnus Carlsen (2832), US GM Wesley So (2812), Russian Vladimir Kramnik (2808) and American Fabiano Caruana (2805).

He leaves behind Armenian Levon Aronyan (2793) and Indian former world champion Viswanathan Anand (2786).

Azerbaijani GMs Teymur Rajabov ranks 28th with 2,724 points, Arkady Neidich ranks 37th with 2,710 points, Rauf Mammadov ranks 58th with 2,689 points , while Eltaj Safarli  ranks 97th with 2,656 points. 

The 32-year old chess player is a two-time World Junior Champion and gold-medalist at European Team Championships.

After winning  Essent Tournament in 2006, Mammadyarov achieved the world fame. He was the best player at the World Team Chess Championships 2009.

The national GM won the team gold medal for Azerbaijan at the European Team Chess Championship in 2009 and 2013. Shahriyar represented Azerbaijan at the Chess Olympiads in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2010 and 2016.

Mammadyarov won the 3rd and 4th editions of the Gashimov Memorial in Shamkir.