“I didn’t expect this outcome.”
This was the statement made by Azerbaijani chess player Aydin Suleymanli in an interview with Idman.biz.
He was reflecting on his performance in the prestigious Tata Steel Chess tournament held in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.
Suleymanli participated in the Challengers group of the tournament and secured 2nd place based on additional performance indicators. He shared, "Before the tournament, if someone had told me that with 9.5 points from 13 rounds, I wouldn’t become the champion, I probably wouldn't have believed it.
But sometimes, the only thing that denies you the championship is luck. I believe that's what happened to me. Although it's tough, this doesn't discourage me; it motivates me to look ahead with even more hope."
The 19-year-old player won seven matches, drew five, and only lost once during the tournament.
Idman.biz
