30 Facts About Teimour Radjabov

In 2003, Radjabov gained international attention after beating the then-world No 1 Garry Kasparov in the Linares tournament, followed by victories over former world champions Viswanathan Anand and Ruslan Ponomariov the same year.

Teimour Radjabov continued his progress over the years to become an elite chess player.

Teimour Radjabov has thrice competed at the Candidates Tournament, in 2011,2013, and 2022 ; he qualified for the 2020 edition but withdrew due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Teimour Radjabov won the European Team Chess Championship with Azerbaijan in 2009,2013, and 2017.

Teimour Radjabov started playing chess at age three and attended secondary school number 160 in Baku.

In 2003, Teimour Radjabov defeated Garry Kasparov, Viswanathan Anand, and Ruslan Ponomariov with the black pieces, making him the first player to beat three former and reigning FIDE World Chess Champions with black in one year.

Teimour Radjabov had not lost a rated game with white in seven years, and never lost one again.

Teimour Radjabov reached the semifinals at the FIDE World Chess Championship 2004.

Teimour Radjabov won Dos Hermanas in April 2005, ahead of among others Dreev and Azmaiparashvili.

In January 2007, Teimour Radjabov shared first place at the Category 19 Corus Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee with Veselin Topalov and Levon Aronian, ahead of Kramnik and Anand.

Teimour Radjabov scored five wins, one loss and seven draws.

Teimour Radjabov had an average Linares, and a disappointing Baku, but finished third in Sofia, behind Ivanchuk and Topalov.

In Bazna the following month Teimour Radjabov shared second place with Boris Gelfand after beating him in both their individual games.

Later the same month Teimour Radjabov led the Azerbaijani team to silver medals at the European Team Chess Championship in Porto Carras.

Teimour Radjabov competed as first board in the 2012 Olympiad in Istanbul Turkey 2012, and as a result pushed his rating from 2788 to his personal all-time high of 2793, and received second highest performance on the first board.

Teimour Radjabov played in the 2013 Candidates Tournament, which took place in London, from 15 March to 1 April.

Teimour Radjabov returned to top chess at the inaugural Gashimov Memorial known as Shamkir Chess, commemorating the late Azeri grandmaster.

In 2016, Teimour Radjabov played in numerous tournaments such as the Gashimov Memorial, European Club Cup, World Blitz and Rapid Championship and Chess Olympiad without winning any tournaments.

In January 2019, Teimour Radjabov returned to Tata Steel Chess Tournament and placed 7th by earning 6.5 points.

In May, Teimour Radjabov played in the Moscow round of 2019 FIDE Grand Prix, and was eliminated from the Moscow Grand Prix tournament in the first round on tie-breaks by American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura.

In September, Teimour Radjabov participated in and won the 2019 Chess World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk.

Teimour Radjabov then beat American grandmaster Jeffery Xiong in the quarterfinal 1.5 to 0.5.

In November 2020, Teimour Radjabov participated in the Skilling Open rapid chess tournament which was the first tournament as part of Champions Chess Tour 2021.

Teimour Radjabov is almost single-handedly responsible for the current revival of the King's Indian Defence.

Teimour Radjabov even beat world No 1, Magnus Carlsen, with this defense in 2014 at the Gashimov Memorial 2014.

Teimour Radjabov has been called an excellent counter-attacker, adept at seizing control after an opponent makes a minor mistake.

At the 2003 Linares chess tournament, Teimour Radjabov, who was 15 years old, defeated Kasparov with the black pieces.

Teimour Radjabov became the first player born since Kasparov first became World Chess Champion in 1985, to defeat him.

Teimour Radjabov is the youngest player in history to defeat a reigning world No 1 in a game at tournament time controls.

In May 2006, Teimour Radjabov was appointed as the UNICEF National Goodwill Ambassador for Azerbaijan.