2024-10-04 12:54:38
FIDE General Director Emil Sutovsky wrote on his Facebook page about our team’s participation in the Chess Olympiad.
İdman.biz presents the impressions of a former Baku resident about our team, the change of generations and the state of chess in Azerbaijan.
“Suddenly, there are a lot of messages from Baku fellow countrymen complaining about the modest results of the national teams.
As a person who not only grew up in Baku, but also trained almost all the leading Azerbaijani chess players in the relatively recent past, I will share my opinion. I think it will be interesting to many. Because we are talking about generational change.
Azerbaijan is a chess country. And everyone understands perfectly well that eighth place can be different. You can play on the first table in the last round, and, having lost, fly away – or you can make a final push to get into the top ten, without really claiming anything.
In this case, it was the second option.
But objectively, it is now incredibly difficult for Azerbaijan to qualify for medals.
Radjabov actually stopped playing.
Mamedyarov, alas, has not pleased his fans for a long time. The most talented players of the middle generation: Mamedov, Abasov, Huseynov, Safarli, Durarbeyli, to put it mildly, have exhausted the potential for explosive growth – although, as Rauf showed, they can benefit the team. But modern chess is such that after thirty it is very difficult to make a new breakthrough. This requires some kind of transcendental motivation – and most of my fellow countrymen, alas, lack this. Or maybe not alas, but everything is fine with them anyway, and then we will be happy for them.
In fact, there is no reason for the team’s results to grow, but there are many reasons for them to fall. Once upon a time the same thing happened to the Israeli team.
There are more and more competitors. Not only did India rush forward at jet speed, but the rest also strengthened. Türkiye has raised two very talented guys. The Germans have a new generation.
And also newfound players:
The United States has changed beyond recognition in ten years. Serbia, Slovenia, and England have recently received reinforcements in the form of strong former Russian players. Romania has Shevchenko. The Spaniards strengthened at the expense of the South Americans.
And in Azerbaijan there is a change of generations. Moreover, the new stars are not so bright.
I like the way Suleymanly plays – he has a thorough approach, it’s clear that he lives for chess. Everything is great. But it is impossible to replace a top 5 player (as Radjabov was at his peak) with a top 100 player. Aydin will continue to grow, of course, but again, only the most dedicated fans expect him to join the world elite. About the same can be said about Muradly – except that the results and expectations in this case are even lower.
And there’s nothing you can do about it. Yes, probably 10-12 years ago it was necessary to invest heavily in the talented children of that time. But this is very difficult – when you have a very young team, which at the same time receives very powerful support – and the resource – even the most generous one – is not unlimited. And the support that the federation and Mair Mamedov personally provided to the players for two decades was provided by only a few all over the world.
I once initiated the Odlar Yurdu project. This, I dare to hope, helped Rauf and Gadir, Eltaj, Nijat and Vasif, Nijat Mamedov and Ulvi Bajarani. All of them – primarily thanks to their talent – grew into strong grandmasters, all joined the national team at some point.
But even then, when Vugar Gashimov of blessed memory was still playing, the team did not get into the top three at the Olympics, despite the fact that three Azerbaijanis were at some point in the world top ten.
And now… Now you just need to be patient. I am sure that Shahriyar, Rauf, and Nijat will remain in the ranks and can benefit the team at the next Olympics. In the meantime, we urgently need to prepare new stars – both those who have already made it to the national team and talented guys who are now 10, 12, 15.
A miracle will not happen so quickly. And it is likely that at the next Olympics the result will be even worse.
But, as they say, looking into the past, take off your hat. Looking to the future – roll up your sleeves!
Now a few words about the women’s team, since there were questions here too.
It seems to me that we need to sit down there and talk as frankly as possible with both the players and the coaches. Very talented girls, who were one step away from gold at the last Olympics, failed the tournament. This does not look like an accident – but it also does not look like a systemic crisis. I am sure that the Azerbaijani women’s team is quite capable of returning to the ranks of the favorites and fighting for medals at every tournament.
In general, compared to Israel, chess Azerbaijan is doing quite well, but it will take a lot of work to return to its former heights.”
İdman.biz