Shahriyar Mamedyarov: "We may not face Teimour Radjabov in the final"

People want Teimour Radjabov to face me in the final. But there is also a possibility that the decisive meeting will not be between us.

"Report" informs that Shahriyar Mamedyarov said these thoughts in his statement to the press service of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation while talking about the national championship.

He said that he could not achieve great success in the Olympic system:

"Because the number of games is small, Shahriyar Mamedyarov cannot be himself. This system psychologically hinders me in the most important moments. People want Teimour Radjabov to face Shahriyar Mamedyarov in the final. Young chess players also participate here. They are in very good shape. There is also a possibility that this final will not happen. We have been playing with Teimour for years, and I am looking forward to meeting younger opponents with more interest."

Mamedyarov spoke about his victory over Farid Abbasov in the 1/8 finals:

"If I'm not mistaken, the last time I participated in the Azerbaijan championship was 23 years ago. When I was 12-13 years old, Farid muallim was winning a medal at the European Championship among 18-year-olds. He was a very good chess player. There are few national championships in the world where leading chess players perform. This year's Azerbaijan championship is completely different. It is a tournament full of surprises. I have good friendships with the chess players here. No matter which opponent comes, I will fight with him."