Teimour Radjabov is an Azerbaijani Chess Grandmaster currently ranked number eighteen in the world with Elo ratings exceeding 2600 by FIDE. He’s one of the best Azerbaijani Chess players in history.
Last Updated: July 21, 2022
Full Name: Teimour Radjabov
Title: Grandmaster
Born: March 12, 1987
Place of birth: Azerbaijan
Federation: Azerbaijan
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Ratings
World ranking: 18
Rapid: 2747
Blitz: 2685
Classical: 2738
Profiles
Biography
Radjabov was born in Baku on March 12th, 1987. He is a Grandmaster in Azerbaijani chess. In 2012 & 2013, he participated in the Candidates Championship. Radjabov became Grandmaster at 14 in March 2001, placing him as the 2nd youngest GM in chess records.
Additionally, he employs a unique playing style when facing an opponent. He is equally liable for the present rebirth of the King’s Indian Defense. With this technique, he even defeated 2014 world number one Magnus Carlsen at the Gashimov Memorial. He is also the solitary brilliant chess master to use the Schliemann sharp shielding in the Lopez Ruy regularly, achieving (+1 0 =10) with it in high games from 2008 to 2011, tying with (Ivanchuk, Anand Karjakin, Karjakin, Svidler, Carlsen, and Topalov, Anand, and defeating Adams). Radjabov has been described as a superb counter-attacker, capable of regaining control if his competitor commits a tiny error.
At the conclusion of the European Chess Cup Grand slams, In 2011, Radjabov got engaged following a fantastic score rating of 3019 in that tournament on the first board while competing for the club SOCAR, which he finished 2nd. Radjabov guided his country to silverware in the European Squad Chess Tournament. He earned a new top rating of 2781 towards the end of that year.
The Beginning
Radjabov’s career in chess began steady well with the youngster clinching the 1999 European U18 Championship with his fellow youngster Postny Evgeny behind him overall.
In June 2002, during the FIDE Moscow Grand Prix quick tournament, Radjabov defeated (Beliavsky Akopian, Svidler, and Ivanchuk) before being trounced by Kasparov in the finale. In 2011, Nakamura Hikaru replicated the accomplishment by defeating (Ponomariov, Anand, and Kramnik).
In 2004, he progressed to the FIDE World Chess Tournament playoffs, reaping a bronze medal. In 2005, Radjabov triumphed in Dos Hermanas, beating competitors like Dreev and Azmaiparashvili. Subsequently, that year, he came in 2nd at the European tournament, trailing only Nisipeanu, with Karjakin, Ivanchuk, and Aronian finishing 3rd to 5th. Radjabov emerged victorious in the Cap d’Agde fast competition in 2006. He dominated all of his games against Volokitin and Bacrot in the quarter and playoffs before defeating Sergey Karjakin in the final. He clinched the 2008 ACP Rapid Trophy upon defeating Grischuk when they competed in the final match. Moreover, he guided Azerbaijan to a decisive win in the European Team Chess Tournament in 2009.
He finished 2nd in the 2010 FIDE Grand Prix, advancing to the Candidates championship for the World Chess Tournament scheduled to take place in 2012. Radjabov finished 2nd at Bazna that year, tied with Gelfand Boris, after defeating him in the two singles matches, although Carlsen clinched the event. He was the runner-up in that year’s World Blitz Tournament. In 2012, he participated in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, alongside world-leading champion- Magnus Carlsen and number two world victor- Levon Aronian.
The field’s average rating was 2755, making this the 13th successive game in a group 21 tournament. That same year, Radjabov finished 2nd with Carlsen Magnus and Caruana Fabiano, one point below Aronian Levon. It was Radjabov’s 4th topmost three results in a row. In the much competitive Tal Memorial- 2012, he finished second to champion Carlsen while setting a new highest rating and position four on the July list with 2788.
Achievements
He again contested in the 2012 chess Olympiad while playing 1st board, raising his rating from 2788 to his individual best of 2793. He captained the SOCAR squad to victory in the European Chess team trophy that year, playing on the first board. The Grandmaster competed in the Candidates Tournament in March-April 2013 but finished in the bottom position. He was part of the national team that clinched the European Team Chess Tournament in Poland in 2013. Radjabov has played a total of 1996 games; 579 wins, 1084 draws, and 333 losses which result in a winning score of 56.16 percent.
Notable tournaments he recently competed in include;
- FIDE Candidates Tournament 2022
- 10th Norway Chess 2022
- 10th Norway Blitz 2022
- 10th Norway Armageddon
Did you enjoy reading about Teimour Radjabov? If you did, you might also be interested in reading about players like Rey Enigma, Artyom Timofeev, and Vadim Milov.
Sources
- “Chess prodigies and mini-grandmasters”. ChessBase. 2006-01-10. Archived from the original on 2017-01-03. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
- “Azeri-Jewish Chess Grandmaster Radjabov in tears after winning tournament”. The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Archived from the original on 2021-01-05. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
- Редакция журнала Наука и жизнь (2004-12-14). “БАКИНСКИЙ ВУНДЕРКИНД № 2 | Наука и жизнь”. Nauka i Zhizn. Archived from the original on 2013-12-11. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
- Leonard Barden (25 February 2003): Kasparov defeated by 15-year-old prodigy Archived 2017-09-06 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
- “Teimour Radjabov”. Archived from the original on 2014-07-28. Retrieved 2014-07-21.
- Farida Sadikhova (Winter 1999): All the Right Moves Archived 2020-07-23 at the Wayback Machine Azer.com.
- FIDE Moscow Grand Prix Moscow World Chess Grand Prix 2002. ChessBase.com. Retrieved on 2012-06-23.[dead link]
- Vishy wins Wijk Archived 2016-01-06 at the Wayback Machine. Chessbase.com 2003-01-27. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
- Dortmund Round 10: Viorel Bologan sole winner Archived 2016-01-05 at the Wayback Machine. Chessbase.com 2003-08-13. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
- A Black Day in Linares! Radjabov Defeats Kasparov Archived 2016-01-05 at the Wayback Machine. Chessbase.com 2003-02-23. Retrieved 28 December 2015.