Idman.biz
Rauf Mammadov has lost for the first time in the Azerbaijani championship after 23 years.
The reigning national champion, who stopped competing in the 1/4 finals, said it is always difficult to win.
"I hadn't lost a single game in the Azerbaijani championships since 2003. This is my first defeat after 23 years. This was the seventh national championship I participated in. I had won each of the previous six competitions. Of course, it had to happen sometime. My opponent is young and showed a very strong game. Therefore, I congratulate him. It is always difficult to be first. This responsibility creates excitement in a person. I think it will be more comfortable to play in the next competitions," he said in a statement to report.az.
It should be noted that R. Mammadov stopped competing in the 1/4 finals of the Azerbaijani championship, losing to the young chess player Read Samadov.
