Vugar Gashimov
Encyclopedia
Vugar Gashimov born July 24, 1986 in Baku
, is one of the leading chess
players from Azerbaijan
. He is a noted player of Bullet chess and three times Azerbaijani national chess champion (1995, 1996 and in 1998).
He won at Athens
2005 (Acropolis International
).
He is a two-times winner of the colossal Cappelle-la-Grande open
: in 2007 (Wang Yue
won the Buchholz tie-break) and 2008 (clear first). In 2010/11, he tied for first with Francisco Vallejo Pons
at Reggio Emilia
and won the event on tie-break.
After the first four of six tournaments, he is fifth of the FIDE Grand Prix 2008-2009
.
s of 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. He played in the gold medal-winning Azerbaijani team at the European Team Chess Championship in Novi Sad
in 2009, alongside Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
, Teimour Radjabov
, Rauf Mammadov
and Gadir Guseinov, previously winning bronze medal in 2007.
In 2010, however, he was not representing his country at the Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk
due to a conflict with the national chess federation and former team coach Zurab Azmaiparashvili
.
. He is also an avid fan of Jackie Chan
movies.
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
, is one of the leading chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
players from Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
. He is a noted player of Bullet chess and three times Azerbaijani national chess champion (1995, 1996 and in 1998).
He won at Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
2005 (Acropolis International
Acropolis International chess tournament
The Acropolis International is a chess tournament held in Athens.The longest running international chess tournament in Greece, the first event was won by Luděk Pachman in 1968....
).
He is a two-times winner of the colossal Cappelle-la-Grande open
Cappelle-la-Grande Open
The Cappelle-la-Grande Open is a chess tournament held every year in Cappelle-la-Grande, France, since 1985.It has become over the years one of the strongest opens in the world, after the Aeroflot Open of Moscow...
: in 2007 (Wang Yue
Wang Yue
Wang Yue is a Chinese chess Grandmaster. He is China's highest-ever rated player with a peak Elo rating of 2751. In 2004, he became China's 18th Grandmaster at the age of 17....
won the Buchholz tie-break) and 2008 (clear first). In 2010/11, he tied for first with Francisco Vallejo Pons
Francisco Vallejo Pons
Francisco Vallejo Pons is a chess Grandmaster from Spain. He was a chess prodigy, achieving the grandmaster title at the age of 16 years and 9 months, which makes him the 20th youngest player to ever become a grandmaster...
at Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia chess tournament
The Reggio Emilia chess tournament is a chess tournament played in Reggio Emilia, Italy. In Italian the tournament is called Torneo di Capodanno , as it starts just after Christmas and ends on the day of Epiphany...
and won the event on tie-break.
After the first four of six tournaments, he is fifth of the FIDE Grand Prix 2008-2009
FIDE Grand Prix 2008-2009
The FIDE Grand Prix 2008–2010 was a series of six chess tournaments, which form part of the qualification for the World Chess Championship 2012. The top two winners here formed two of the eight players who played in a Candidates Tournament to determine the challenger for the world champion. It was...
.
Team competitions
Gashimov played for Azerbaijan in the Chess OlympiadChess Olympiad
The Chess Olympiad is a biennial chess tournament in which teams from all over the world compete against each other. The event is organised by FIDE, which selects the host nation.-Birth of the Olympiad:The first Olympiad was unofficial...
s of 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. He played in the gold medal-winning Azerbaijani team at the European Team Chess Championship in Novi Sad
Novi Sad
Novi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
in 2009, alongside Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Shakhriyar Hamid oglu Mammadyarov , also known for his Shah nickname, is a chess Grandmaster. On the September 2010 FIDE rating list he was ranked number nine in the world with an Elo rating of 2756....
, Teimour Radjabov
Teimour Radjabov
Radjabov's knight sacrifice, 21. ... Ngxe5, was praised by several strong players for its bravery, including English grandmaster Nigel Short. Said Short of the move, "Radjabov plays very imaginatively... he just won't give up, he is extremely tenacious and will always find a way to muddy the...
, Rauf Mammadov
Rauf Mammadov
Rauf Mamedov is an Azerbaijani chess Grandmaster.- Career :Born in Baku, Azerbaijan, Mamedov started playing chess at the age of seven. In 2004, he became a Grandmaster , following his victory during international tournament in Dubai....
and Gadir Guseinov, previously winning bronze medal in 2007.
In 2010, however, he was not representing his country at the Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk
39th Chess Olympiad
The 39th Chess Olympiad, organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place in 2010 in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, on to...
due to a conflict with the national chess federation and former team coach Zurab Azmaiparashvili
Zurab Azmaiparashvili
Zurab Azmaiparashvili is a chess Grandmaster from Georgia. In the September 2010 FIDE list, he has an Elo rating of 2637, making him 114th in the world and Georgia's number two.-Career:He became a Grandmaster in 1988...
.
Personal life
He is known to enjoy soccer, table tennis and poolPool
-Pools of water:*Swimming pool, an artificially enclosed body of water intended for swimming*Reflecting pool, a shallow pool designed to reflect a structure and its surroundings:...
. He is also an avid fan of Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
movies.
Notable tournament victories
- Reggio Emilia chess tournament 2010Reggio Emilia chess tournamentThe Reggio Emilia chess tournament is a chess tournament played in Reggio Emilia, Italy. In Italian the tournament is called Torneo di Capodanno , as it starts just after Christmas and ends on the day of Epiphany...
, 1st - Winner of Azerbaijan Chess Championship three times (1995, 1996, 1998)
Notable games
- Vugar Gashimov vs Gata Kamsky, Baku Grand Prix 2008, Spanish Game: Closed Variations (C84), 1-0
- Vugar Gashimov vs Andrei Volokitin, Poikovsky Tournament 2008, Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation (B96), 1-0
- Vugar Gashimov vs Alexander Grischuk, Elista Grand Prix 2008, Sicilian Defense: Najdorf, Poisoned Pawn Variation (B97), 1-0
- Vugar Gashimov vs Alexander Beliavsky, Gibtelecom 2009, Spanish Game: Closed Variations (C84), 1-0