Azerbaijan Men's Chess Championship-2026
KnockoutStandard
30 players participated in this 26-round tournament, held from 08 Feb 2026 to 22 Feb 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan. 27 titled players. Top 10 Elo average was 2590, and top seed was Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (🇦🇿 AZE, GM, 2727).
Aydin Suleymanli (🇦🇿 AZE, GM, 2628) won with 8.0/26, ahead of Mahammad Muradli (7.0) and Read Samadov (5.0). Suleymanli won solo starting round 19.
The biggest upset came in round 1: Shamsi Garakhanov (FM, 2272) beat Nijat Abasov (GM, 2593), a +321-point gap.
Location
🇦🇿Baku, Azerbaijan
Dates
08 Feb 2026 → 22 Feb 2026
Time control
Standard: 90min/40moves+30min/end+30sec increment per move starting from move 1
System
Knockout · 26 rounds
Titled players · 27
GM×11
IM×11
FM×5
Federations · 1 represented
🇦🇿Azerbaijan×30
Top 3
- 🥇
- 🥈
- 🥉
How it unfolded
Top 6 · 26 roundsGM Aydin Suleymanli led from R19; +1.0-point edge over the runner-up. Title race converged from 4 co-leaders at R4 to 1 by R19.
Co-leaders
11
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
R19–R26 · LEAD HELD
GM Aydin Suleymanli never relinquished the lead after R19; final gap +1.0 over the runner-up.
WIN STREAKS · 2 top finishers
GM Aydin Suleymanli 4 wins (R1–R10)GM Eltaj Safarli 4 wins (R1–R10)
Key matchups · top 4
Head-to-head between the four finishers| Player | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1GMAydin Suleymanli | * | — | — | 1 1 |
| 2GMMahammad Muradli | — | * | ½ ½ | ½ 1 |
| 3GMEltaj Safarli | — | ½ ½ | * | — |
| 4IMRead Samadov | 0 0 | ½ 0 | — | * |
Grille américaine
| # | Player | Elo | Fed | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | R13 | R14 | R15 | R16 | R17 | R18 | R19 | R20 | R21 | R22 | R23 | R24 | R25 | R26 | Pts | Bu C1 | Bu | SB | Perf | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suleymanli, AydinGM | 2628 | AZE | +27N | +27B | F | F | F | F | F | F | +14B | +14N | F | F | =7N | =7B | F | F | F | F | =5B | =5N | F | F | F | F | +3N | +3B | 8.0 | 27.0 | 27.0 | 19.50 | 2742 | +15.6 |
| 2 | Muradli, MahammadGM | 2581 | AZE | +23N | =23B | F | F | F | F | F | F | +13B | =13N | F | F | =4N | =4B | F | F | F | F | =3N | +3B | F | F | F | F | =5N | +5B | 7.0 | 33.0 | 33.0 | 22.25 | 2650 | +10.8 |
| 3 | Samadov, ReadIM | 2510 | AZE | +24N | =24B | F | F | F | F | F | F | +16B | +16N | F | F | =9B | =9N | F | F | F | F | =2B | −2N | F | F | F | F | −1B | −1N | 5.0 | 37.0 | 37.0 | 8.25 | 2492 | -1.8 |
| 4 | Safarli, EltajGM | 2644 | AZE | +28B | +28N | F | F | F | F | F | F | +15N | +15B | F | F | =2B | =2N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 5.0 | 16.0 | 16.0 | 9.00 | 2690 | +4.2 |
| 5 | Mamedyarov, ShakhriyarGM | 2727 | AZE | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | =10N | +10B | F | F | +6B | =6N | F | F | F | F | =1N | =1B | F | F | F | F | =2B | −2N | 4.5 | 42.0 | 42.0 | 20.50 | 2585 | -13.8 |
| 6 | Ahmadzada, AhmadGM | 2521 | AZE | +25B | =25N | F | F | F | F | F | F | +12N | +12B | F | F | −5N | =5B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 4.0 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 7.00 | 2638 | +9.6 |
| 7 | Abasov, NijatGM | 2593 | AZE | −17B | +17N | F | F | F | F | F | F | −11N | +11B | F | F | =1B | =1N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 3.0 | 22.0 | 22.0 | 11.00 | 2457 | -9.6 |
| 8 | Talibov, ShiroghlanIM | 2431 | AZE | +29N | +29B | F | F | F | F | F | F | =9N | =9B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.00 | 2740 | +15.8 |
| 9 | Mamedov, RaufGM | 2645 | AZE | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | =8B | =8N | F | F | =3N | =3B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 2.0 | 16.0 | 16.0 | 8.00 | 2471 | -9.0 |
| 10 | Ibrahimli, MuradIM | 2438 | AZE | =26B | +26N | F | F | F | F | F | F | =5B | −5N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 2.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 3.00 | 2584 | +6.8 |
| 11 | Ahmad, KhaganIM | 2472 | AZE | =18N | =18B | F | F | F | F | F | F | +7B | −7N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 2.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 4.00 | 2478 | +0.2 |
| 12 | Rasulov, VugarGM | 2525 | AZE | +30N | +30B | F | F | F | F | F | F | −6B | −6N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 2.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 0.00 | 2402 | -6.2 |
| 13 | Aliyev, RavanIM | 2353 | AZE | −19N | +19B | F | F | F | F | F | F | −2N | =2B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 1.5 | 16.0 | 16.0 | 4.50 | 2454 | +9.6 |
| 14 | Gasimov, RahimIM | 2453 | AZE | +21B | −21N | F | F | F | F | F | F | −1N | −1B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 1.0 | 18.0 | 18.0 | 1.00 | 2334 | -6.2 |
| 15 | Aghasiyev, KamalIM | 2426 | AZE | =20B | =20N | F | F | F | F | F | F | −4B | −4N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 1.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 1.00 | 2355 | -3.6 |
| 16 | Alizada, Pasham | 2282 | AZE | −22N | +22B | F | F | F | F | F | F | −3N | −3B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 1.0 | 12.0 | 12.0 | 1.00 | 2326 | +8.0 |
| 17 | Garakhanov, ShamsiFM | 2272 | AZE | +7N | −7B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 1.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 3.00 | 2593 | +29.6 |
| 18 | Aslanov, UmidFM | 2362 | AZE | =11B | =11N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 1.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.00 | 2472 | +6.0 |
| 19 | Babazada, KhazarIM | 2500 | AZE | +13B | −13N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 1.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 1.50 | 2353 | -4.0 |
| 20 | Tahirov, FarhadGM | 2452 | AZE | =15N | =15B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.00 | 2426 | -0.8 |
| 21 | Zulfugarli, MahammadIM | 2426 | AZE | −14N | +14B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.00 | 2453 | +0.8 |
| 22 | Iskandarov, MisratdinGM | 2528 | AZE | +16B | −16N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.00 | 2282 | -6.2 |
| 23 | Ughuzov, RavanFM | 2272 | AZE | −2B | =2N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 0.5 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 3.50 | 2388 | +4.4 |
| 24 | Garayev, KananIM | 2324 | AZE | −3B | =3N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 0.5 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 2.50 | 2317 | -0.2 |
| 25 | Hamidov, AllahverdiFM | 2287 | AZE | −6N | =6B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 0.5 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 2.00 | 2328 | +1.6 |
| 26 | Manafov, VugarIM | 2441 | AZE | =10N | −10B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 0.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1.00 | 2245 | -5.0 |
| 27 | Ibrahimli, Suat | 2166 | AZE | −1B | −1N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 0.0 | 16.0 | 16.0 | 0.00 | 1766 | -6.4 |
| 28 | Isbatov, Kanan | 2144 | AZE | −4N | −4B | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 0.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 0.00 | 1743 | -6.4 |
| 29 | Mirzoev, AzerGM | 2448 | AZE | −8B | −8N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 0.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 0.00 | 1631 | -10.4 |
| 30 | Orujov, FaridFM | 2282 | AZE | −12B | −12N | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 0.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0.00 | 1725 | -8.0 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.
Top rating gainers
- 1Garakhanov, ShamsiFMAZE+29.61.0 pts · #16
- 2Talibov, ShiroghlanIMAZE+15.83.0 pts · #8
- 3Suleymanli, AydinGMAZE+15.68.0 pts · #1
Top rating losers
- 1Mamedyarov, ShakhriyarGMAZE-13.84.5 pts · #5
- 2Mirzoev, AzerGMAZE-10.40.0 pts · #28
- 3Abasov, NijatGMAZE-9.63.0 pts · #7
Biggest upsets
- R1+321 Elo gap
- R2+246 Elo gap
- R2+147 Elo gap