Teimour Radjabov

Teimour Radjabov,[1] born 12 March 1987 in Baku, Azerbaijan, is the leading Azerbaijani chess player.

Teimour Radjabov
TRadjabov12.jpg
Country Azerbaijan
TitleGrandmaster
FIDE rating2793
(#4 in the January 2013 FIDE ranking list)
Peak rating2793 (November 2012)

Radjabov earned the title of Grandmaster in March 2001 at the age of 14, making him the second-youngest grandmaster in history at that time (to Bu Xiangzhi).[2] Radjabov's playing style has been described as attacking and tactically influenced.[3][4]

Radjabov came second in the FIDE Grand Prix 2008–2010, qualifying him for the Candidates tournament for the World Chess Championship of 2012.

Radjabov is the youngest player ever to make the FIDE Top 100 Players list. His rating of 2599 in January 2002 ranked 93rd in the world while he was still 14 years old.[5]

In 2003, Radjabov defeated Garry Kasparov, Viswanathan Anand, and Ruslan Ponomariov with the black pieces. He is probably the first player ever to beat three former and reigning FIDE World Chess Champions with the black pieces in one year.

Radjabov reached the semi-finals (earning a bronze medal) at the FIDE World Chess Championship 2004.


Start of chess board.
a8 black king b8 black king c8 black king d8 black rook e8 black king f8 black king g8 black king [[Image:chess rd

d44.png|22px|alt=h8 black rook]]

a7 black king b7 black king c7 black king d7 black king e7 black bishop f7 black king g7 black pawn [[Image:chess

l44.png|22px|alt=h7 black king|link=]]

a6 black pawn b6 black queen c6 black knight d6 black king e6 black pawn f6 black king g6 black king [[Image:chess

d44.png|22px|alt=h6 black king|link=]]

a5 black king b5 black pawn c5 black king d5 black pawn e5 white pawn f5 black king g5 black king [[Image:chess

l44.png|22px|alt=h5 black king|link=]]

a4 black king b4 black king c4 black pawn d4 white pawn e4 black king f4 white bishop g4 black knight [[Image:chess

d44.png|22px|alt=h4 black king|link=]]

a3 white pawn b3 black king c3 white pawn d3 black king e3 black king f3 black king g3 white knight [[Image:chess

l44.png|22px|alt=h3 black king|link=]]

a2 black king b2 white pawn c2 black king d2 white queen e2 white bishop f2 black king g2 black king [[Image:chess pl

d44.png|22px|alt=h2 white pawn]]

a1 white rook b1 black king c1 black king d1 black king e1 white king f1 black king g1 black king [[Image:chess rl

l44.png|22px|alt=h1 white rook]]

End of chess board.
Position after 21.Be2. Radjabov (Black) surprises Kasparov by sacrificing a knight for the initiative.

Position from Kasparov – Rajabov

In this key position play went:

21... Ngxe5!?
22. Qe3 Nd7
23. Qxe6 Bh4
24. Qg4 g5
25. Bd2 Rde8 and Black eventually won.

If Kasparov had taken the knight play would have gone:

22. Bxe5 Nxe5
23. dxe5 d4!

and Black comes through the centre.

Teimour Radjabov Media

References

  1. Also spelled Teymur Rajabov Azerbaijani: Teymur Rəcəbov
  2. "ChessBase.com - Chess News - Chess prodigies and mini-grandmasters". Archived from the original on 2012-05-26. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
  3. "Corus Chess 2003 - Biography of Teymour Radjabov". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
  4. "Chess software - ChessBase Magazine 115". Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
  5. "Ratings".