The Azerbaijan State News Agency

SPORTS

Gulnar Mammadova: “One always aims for top three”

Gulnar Mammadova: “One always aims for top three”

Baku, September 9, AZERTAC

The Azerbaijan women’s first team competing in the 42nd Chess Olympiad tied its match with Georgia 2:2 in the sixth round. Gulnar Mammadova playing on the third board won her game against Nino Batsiashvili. Gulnar Mammadova shares her impressions of the game with the press service of the Baku Chess Olympiad.

- You defeated Nino Batsiashvili in the sixth round of the Olympiad. Did you play with her before?

- We have played five times before, so this was our sixth game. I won three times and my today’s opponent beat me once. This time I got the upper hand again, so I am very pleased with myself. However, I have to say that my opponent is a very strong player.

- Does it mean that the personal score with Nino Batsiashvili being in your favor gave you a psychological advantage?

- We can say that. Besides, my opponent won her first five games in the Olympiad, and I thought that she should lose the sixth. This gave me confidence.

- Batsiashvili is 170 rating points higher than you. Is this why you decided to attack more?

- The position was equal out of the opening. But then things got more complicated and I managed to gain the initiative. I also took advantage of my opponent getting into time trouble.

- At what stage in the game did you think you might win?

- After moves 50-55. It didn’t look very clear until then.

- You probably thought that it would be a draw until your teammate Zeynab Mammadyarova lost her game on the first board...

- My goal has been a victory from the very outset, but a draw could have been acceptable. My opponent is a strong player, so a draw wouldn’t be too bad a result. But after Zeinab’s defeat, I had to play for a victory.

- How would you rate your performance in the Olympiad so far?

- I have four points after five games. I won three games and drew two. So far I am quite pleased.

- Your team is in sixth place after six rounds and trails only by a point from the leaders. This is a surprise for many. Is it possible to aim for medals already?

- Our initial goal was to finish in top 10 but, just like any sportsmen, we play every game to win. One always aims for a podium finish. I think that if we play well in the next two or three rounds, we can think of medals.

- Who are the favorites to win the championship title?

- Ukraine, Russia and China.

Share news on social media

Follow us on social network

Azerbaijani community sends letter of protest to UK Parliament

Chairman of State Committee on Work with Diaspora meets with Azerbaijani pianist living in Japan

World Bank to provide 6-bln-USD support to Egypt: minister

Azerbaijani gymnasts to compete in FIG World Cup in Germany

Azerbaijan, Switzerland discuss COP29 preparations

SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites from California in dusky evening liftoff

® Former President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic awarded the Friend of Azerbaijan Golden Order

Azerbaijani oil price rises above $88

Global oil prices drop

Azerbaijan’s National Defense University hosts event marking 109th anniversary of Canakkale Victory

First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva made post on Last Tuesday

A ‘Global Britain’: How has the Azerbaijan-UK relationship benefitted from this new foreign policy approach?

Seven-day Novruz holiday to start in Azerbaijan tomorrow

Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry: Festive events in military units are held in closed conditions

Turkish president congratulates Russian counterpart Putin on reelection

Hikmet Hajiyev: Azerbaijan, China enjoy traditional ties of friendship and partnership

Apple, Google in talks to bring Gemini AI to iPhones: Report

Marie Sahba: Through my music and lyrics, I want to build cultural bridges between my nations - INTERVIEW

Jens Stoltenberg: We are now in the process of agreeing on a new framework for partnership between NATO and Azerbaijan VIDEO

Active dialogue between ruling parties significantly contributes to development of Azerbaijan-China relations

Magic of Novruz at Baku airport: carpets, airplanes, and national values

AZAL staff plants over 600 trees in support of “Green World Solidarity Year”

Azerbaijani female shooter clinches silver medal in Germany

Azerbaijani ambassador attends event marking 109th anniversary of Canakkale Victory

Message of congratulation to the people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of Novruz holiday

Azerbaijani table tennis players bring ten medals from Türkiye

ANAS Institute of Oriental Studies, Moscow Islamic Institute ink MoU

Azerbaijani FM meets with NATO Secretary General

Azerbaijan, US discuss bilateral and multilateral cooperation agenda

International Turkic Academy expands international relations

President of Azerbaijan: Everyone must reckon with us from now on

President Ilham Aliyev discloses several facts about Khankendi’s being the land of Azerbaijan

Central square of Khankendi named “Victory Square” VIDEO

'Canakkale is impassable' immortalized when Turkish Navy defeated most advanced armies: President Erdogan

President: Today, Azerbaijan is one of a handful of countries in the world with a completely independent policy VIDEO

President of Azerbaijan: Regrettably, the outcomes of the Second Karabakh War did not serve as lesson to Armenia

President Ilham Aliyev: Anti-terror operation was a triumph of indomitable spirit of Azerbaijani people VIDEO

President: We demonstrated tremendous heroism during the Second Karabakh War and the anti-terror operation

President Ilham Aliyev: It is the fourth time that I have lit the holiday bonfire in liberated lands of Karabakh

President Ilham Aliyev lit Novruz bonfire in the city of Khankendi and congratulated the people of Azerbaijan on the occasion of the holiday VIDEO

Chinese scientists design device to produce hydrogen from renewable sources

Ukrainian media: NATO Secretary General welcomes Azerbaijan’s support to Ukraine

Peace initiators in the South Caucasus

® Simplify business operations with Kapital Bank's free API Portal

Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister meets with NATO Secretary General VIDEO

Azerbaijan, Shanghai Cooperation Organization explore prospects for cooperation

Wildfire continues to spread in China's southern Sichuan province

Azerbaijan, China discuss bilateral cooperation

Global Terrorism Index 2024: Azerbaijan among safest countries in the world

NASA volunteers find fifteen rare “Active Asteroids”

® B2B Forum featuring Latvian, Estonian and Finnish companies held in Azerbaijan

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg concludes his visit to Azerbaijan

Release of the Press Service of the President

To His Excellency Mr. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation

Nervous system disorders found to be biggest cause of poor health

2 Japan astronauts to land on moon in NASA-led Artemis program

Putin gets 85.13% of vote in Moscow after all ballots counted

AZAL launches flights to another London airport

N. Korea fires multiple short-range ballistic missiles into East Sea: JCS

Oil prices surge in global markets

® “Baku Steel Company” CJSC starts the tender stage for the implementation of the SAP S/4HANA system

Azerbaijan relocates 34 more families to Fuzuli city VIDEO

Fenerbahce win at Trabzonspor in match marred by clashes

“Heritage in Stitches: A Journey Through Embroidery and Sewing Traditions of Uzbekistan” exhibition opens at the Heydar Aliyev Center
First Vice-President of Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva and Assistant to the President of Uzbekistan Saida Mirziyoyeva attend the opening ceremony VIDEO

‘Cold blob’ of Arctic meltwater may be causing European heat waves

NATO Secretary General: COP29 will be an important milestone in fighting global warming VIDEO

NATO Secretary General: Azerbaijan and Armenia have an opportunity to achieve enduring peace

Jens Stoltenberg: I welcome that Azerbaijan is developing closer ties with several NATO allies VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev invites Jens Stoltenberg to Azerbaijan to attend COP29 in November VIDEO

President: NATO-Azerbaijan partnership has already had a long history VIDEO

Azerbaijani President: Today, we are in an active phase of peace talks with Armenia

President Ilham Aliyev: There is a good chance for settlement of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev: Reforms in our Armed Forces have led to good results VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev held expanded meeting over dinner with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg made press statements VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev held one-on-one meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg VIDEO

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrives in Azerbaijan for official visit

China's auto exports soar 30.5 pct in January-February

US says it destroys Houthi UAVs in Red Sea

Azerbaijan defense minister expresses condolences to Pakistani side

11th Global Baku Forum on “Fixing the Fractured World” concludes

"Once-in-a-lifetime" devil comet will be easily visible this month

Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan praise development of bilateral relations

Azerbaijan`s Prime Minister meets with Nobel peace laureate Muhammad Yunus

First drug to treat common, lethal liver disease gets US nod

11th Global Baku Forum features “New Security Paradigm in the Age of AI, Drones and Cyberwarfare” panel meeting

Azerbaijani PM meets with his Georgian counterpart in Baku

Administrator of UN Development Programme: Azerbaijan's role and approach as President of COP29 are commendable

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze concludes his official visit to Azerbaijan

President Ilham Aliyev held expanded meeting with Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze VIDEO

President Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze made press statements VIDEO

Photo exhibition on "Protection of Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage: Austria’s contribution" unveiled in Vienna

Irakli Kobakhidze: Our partnership has reached excellent level

Georgian Prime Minister: Partnership and friendship between our countries hold significant importance on global stage

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze: Azerbaijan-Georgia relations are built on a very solid foundation

President: Both Georgia and Azerbaijan possess significant renewable energy potential

President: Our energy projects will continue to ensure energy security of many countries

President of Azerbaijan: The International law norms must be the basis for each country and there can be no discrimination

President Ilham Aliyev: Azerbaijan and Georgia have always supported each other`s sovereignty

President Ilham Aliyev: Demand for Azerbaijan's energy resources continues to rise