Azerbaijani chess player Ulviyya Fataliyeva secured her third victory and continues chasing the leader at the Women's European Individual Chess Championship in Batumi, Georgia.
As reported by İdman.Biz, Fataliyeva defeated Anna Khazarian of the Netherlands in the fifth round of the continental championship.
After five rounds, the Azerbaijani player has collected four points and shares positions from 2nd to 14th place. However, based on tie-break criteria, she currently sits sixth overall. Fataliyeva is only half a point behind sole leader Elif Aydin of Türkiye. Moreover, the Azerbaijani player could overtake Aydin as the two are set to face each other in the sixth round.
It should be noted that Ulviyya already won the Women's European Championship in 2024, becoming the first Azerbaijani chess player ever to achieve such a result. No Azerbaijani male player has yet managed to win the European crown.
Meanwhile, Gunay Mammadzada was unable to remain in the top ten. After a strong start, in which she scored 3.5 points from four games, Mammadzada lost to Oliwia Kiolbasa of Poland in the fifth round and dropped to 18th place with the same 3.5 points.
Among the other Azerbaijani players, Narmin Abdinova (39th place), Gulnar Mammadova (60th) and Govhar Beydullayeva (64th) each have three points.
It should also be added that the top ten players at the European Championship will qualify for the 2027 Women's Chess World Cup.
