In the 2025 Azerbaijani Championships, Rauf Mamedov and Gunay Mammadzada have secured national titles in the open and women’s sections respectively. For Mamedov, this victory marks his seventh national title, while for Mammadzada, it is her third.
The Azerbaijan Championships of 2025 were held in Baku, the capital city, from February 1st to 14th. Both the open and women’s tournaments were organized as knockout events, featuring two-game matches with tiebreakers in case of a draw, all played under classical time control. The total prize pool for the open competition was 60,000 AZN (approximately $35,000 USD), and for the women’s competition, it was 30,000 AZN (approximately $17,500 USD). The champions were awarded 20,000 AZN and 10,000 AZN, respectively.
This year’s Open Championship was notable for its exceptionally strong lineup, gathering all of Azerbaijan’s leading chess players, including members of the national team.
The top-seeded players generally performed as expected, reaching the semifinal stage. However, Misratdin Iskandarov, who was seeded 12th, achieved a significant upset by defeating Nijat Abasov and Aydin Suleymanli, thus making his way into the final four.
In the first semifinal match, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, the top-rated player in the tournament, played dominantly against Iskandarov, securing his place in the final. The second semifinal was much more closely contested, with Rauf Mamedov ultimately winning against Teimour Radjabov in an Armageddon game.
The final match was a dramatic encounter between two strong contenders. After two classical games and the initial rapid tiebreakers concluded in draws, Mamedyarov made a critical blunder, losing a rook in an even endgame, which handed the championship title to Mamedov.
In the match for the third place, Iskandarov defeated Radjabov to complete the podium.
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov playing white against eventual champion Rauf Mamedov
The podium
