One of the leaders of Azerbaijani women's chess, Gunay Mammadzada, has ended her participation in the Individual European Chess Championship in Batumi, Georgia, before the conclusion of the event.
As the Azerbaijan Chess Federation told İdman.Biz, Mammadzada decided to withdraw from the tournament after a series of disappointing results at the continental championship.
The chess player made the decision following her fourth consecutive defeat. During that difficult run, she also lost to fellow Azerbaijani player Sabina Ibrahimova. As a result, Mammadzada did not appear for her penultimate-round game against Latvia's Madara Golsta, and her name was absent from the pairings for the final round.
Things have not gone smoothly for another Azerbaijani player, Ulviyya Fataliyeva, either. She suffered two consecutive defeats near the end of the tournament, including one in the penultimate round. As a result, with six points she dropped to 26th place. This means Fataliyeva can no longer challenge for a top-10 finish, which would have secured qualification for the 2027 Women's World Cup.
The only Azerbaijani player still in contention for a place at the prestigious event is Govhar Beydullayeva. With seven points, she currently occupies 11th place. Having won her last two games, she now needs another victory in the 11th and final round to qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup.
The remaining Azerbaijani players are positioned in the middle of the standings ahead of the final round.
