Uzbek chess: More than just Abdusattorov. Triumph at Chess Olympiad is ‘Our independence day gift’ to Uzbekistan, says coach

As if to show a degree, he didn’t deliver Abdusattorov to the press convention room after the gold-sealing win over the Netherlands. As a substitute, he tagged alongside Nodirbek Yakubboev, and Jakhongir Vakhidov sporting the normal doppa, a spherical skullcap. Yakubboev is simply 20 however already rated 2620; Vakhidov is the oldest at 27 and is revered for his sound tactical recreation. There’s additionally the 16-year-old Javokhir Sindarov, thought of one of the vital gifted kids round. “There are these guys too. You’ll be able to’t win a workforce occasion on the shoulders of only one man alone, and we had high quality on all 5 boards. It’s an indication that we’re a real pressure. We now have a historical past and tradition of enjoying chess that goes a good distance again,” he says.

Scientific historical past proves chess existed within the nation a number of centuries in the past. Throughout archaeological excavations in Dalvarzintepa (Surkhandarya) in 1972, chess items of the Kushan interval (I-II centuries) had been found, and in 1977, throughout a examine in Afrosiab (Samarkand), seven chess items of the VII-VIII centuries had been found. Samarkand, a metropolis in Southwestern Uzbekistan used to host annual tournaments as early because the 14th centuries, in line with data.

Moments of triumph.

Jakhongir Vakhidov, who gained the decisive recreation within the last match, bringing workforce gold, is the hero of Crew Uzbekistan.

Images by Lennart Ootes pic.twitter.com/dxuQ8Sk0gH

— Worldwide Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) August 9, 2022

Trendy chess historical past within the nation, a part of the erstwhile Soviet Union, started with the legendary Georgy Agzamov. Born in a small city of Almalyk within the province of Tashkent, right into a household of medical doctors, he took to skilled chess late and have become a GM solely when he was 30. However he was thought of as one of many most interesting gamers round and encountered the legendary Mikhail Tal and Tigran Petrosian. Tal was impressed with aggressive type of play and took him together with him for world excursions.

A philologist, one other ardour of his ended his life on the age of 32. Whereas on a tour to Sevastopol, the Crimea, he went for solo climbing, slipped from a cliff and fell between two rocks. There have been reviews that native tribes murdered him for cash, however there was little proof and solely intrigue. However he’s extensively considered the daddy of contemporary chess in Uzbekistan. In his reminiscence, the federal government began the celebrated Tashkent Memorial on the Tashkent Chess Membership, the nursery of all Grandmasters from the nation.

A number of years later sprung Rustam Kasimdzhanov, who gained the World Championship in 2004, beating a string of world-class gamers like Vasyl Ivanchuk, Alexander Grischuk, and Veselin Topalov earlier than embarking on a fruitful profession as a second to a few of the most interesting ever gamers. He was a longtime second to Viswanathan Anand, together with throughout the 2008, 2010 and 2012 World Championship matches. He has additionally skilled with World Championship candidates Sergey Karjakin and Fabiano Caruana. Geared up with a robust tactical sense, he was a grasp at giving philosophic quotes. Like this one: “Enjoying chess isn’t about what you see. Enjoying chess is about what you’ll be able to seize from that.”

Later he turned a chess trainer and most elite gamers have in some unspecified time in the future sought his tutoring or recommendation. His DVDs on chess openings like ‘A World champion’s information to the King’s Indian’, are fairly common. However as his enjoying days staggered, resulting in a lull in Uzbekistan chess, got here alongside Abdusattorov, who most say has been the only largest affect on Uzbek chess. His Fast World Championship triumph final 12 months was celebrated as a nationwide vacation. The 17-year-old, the youngest-ever world champion was gifted a two-room residence and a hefty prize-money.

One other spherical of celebrations and presents await them after they land in Tashkent in two days. Sokolov chimes in: “The victory could be probably the most historic day in Uzbekistan chess. It’s our independence day present to the individuals of the republic, and hopefully they’d encourage hundreds of youngsters to take up the game. This could seize the creativeness,” Hundreds of kids, aspiring to be not solely Abdusattorov but additionally Yakubboev, Vakhidov and Sindarov.