Azerbaijani grandmaster Teymur Rajabov is very likely to be admitted to the next challenger tournament, which will be held in 2022.
This topic was actively discussed at a recent meeting of the Council of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). President FIDE Arkady Dvorkovich also touched this question.
“Once again at the highest level, it was said that the next contender cycle would most likely be held with Teimura Rajabov,” explained for HaqQin.az Vice-President of Fide and the Chess Federation of Azerbaijan Mahir Mamedov. “Of course, our preceded by this. Repeated joint consultations. Discussions are continuing, but the chances of the fact that Teymur without selection will receive the right to play in the challenger tournament very high.
When making the final decision of the FIDE will take into account the authority of the federation of the Chess of Azerbaijan, and also that Teymur as a whole was right in that situation. And, of course, a positive attitude towards Azerbaijan personally, Arkady Dvorkovich, is of great importance.
Head of FIDE Last year declared that it would be fair to let Teimur Rajabov play in the next contender tournament. As we see, since then, his position has not changed, and everything goes to the fact that Rajabov will take part in the most important competition.
Recall, in the 2020 applicants’ tournament, he was selected due to the victory at the 2019 World Cup. However, due to the announced Pandemic, Teymur refused to participate in the competition, which should start in Yekaterinburg on March 17, 2020. Azerbaijani grandmaster turned out to be the only one who did not want to play. He was replaced by the French chess player Maxim Your-Lodge.
In the tournament of applicants, 7 rounds were played, that is, half the competition, after which it was suspended, since the Russian government closed the international air communication and there were fears that chess players simply could not fly to their countries.
The second half of the tournament is played these days in the same Yekaterinburg. The winner will be able to challenge the champion crown in the match with Norwegian Magnus Karlsen, which will be held in November-December of this year in Dubai.
Regarding the next cycle, in it, along with Teymur Rajabov, should play a loser of the championship match, two best chess players on the results of the FIDE Grand Prix, two finalists of the World Cup, as well as chess players who will occupy the first two places in the Grand tournament Swiss.