Azerbaijani chess grandmaster Rauf Mammadov has suffered his first defeat at the national championship in 23 years, ending one of the longest domestic unbeaten streaks in the country’s chess history, Idman.Biz.
The reigning champion was knocked out in the quarter-finals by young player Read Samadov. Speaking to local media, Mammadov admitted the result was inevitable sooner or later after years of dominance.
“Since 2003 I had never lost at the Azerbaijan Championships. After 23 years this is my first defeat. It was my seventh national championship and I had won the previous six. Of course it had to happen one day. My opponent is young and showed a very strong game, so I congratulate him. It is always difficult to remain number one. That responsibility creates pressure. I think it will be easier to play in future events,” he said to Report.
Mammadov has long been one of the leading figures in Azerbaijani chess, a country recognised globally for producing elite grandmasters, making the upset a notable moment in the national scene.
