Vugar Gashimov, 1986 – 2014
Vugar Gashimov (Azerbaijani: Vüqar Həşimov), born July 24, 1986, in Baku, was one of the leading chess players of his country. He was also a noted blitz specialist. Vugar won the Athens 2005 Acropolis International and the Cappelle-la-Grande open 2008.
Reggio Emilia 2010/11: Fabiano Caruana, Nigel Short, Alexander Onischuk, Vugar Gashimov, Vallejo Pons (standing behind WGM Martha Fierro), and Ivanchuk, with the tournament staff below
In 2010/11 he won Reggio Emilia and won the event on tie-break. Here are three annotated games from that event:
| 1.e4 | 1,166,623 | 54% | 2421 | --- |
| 1.d4 | 947,298 | 55% | 2434 | --- |
| 1.Nf3 | 281,602 | 56% | 2441 | --- |
| 1.c4 | 182,102 | 56% | 2442 | --- |
| 1.g3 | 19,702 | 56% | 2427 | --- |
| 1.b3 | 14,265 | 54% | 2427 | --- |
| 1.f4 | 5,897 | 48% | 2377 | --- |
| 1.Nc3 | 3,801 | 51% | 2384 | --- |
| 1.b4 | 1,756 | 48% | 2380 | --- |
| 1.a3 | 1,206 | 54% | 2404 | --- |
| 1.e3 | 1,068 | 48% | 2408 | --- |
| 1.d3 | 954 | 50% | 2378 | --- |
| 1.g4 | 664 | 46% | 2360 | --- |
| 1.h4 | 446 | 53% | 2374 | --- |
| 1.c3 | 433 | 51% | 2426 | --- |
| 1.h3 | 280 | 56% | 2418 | --- |
| 1.a4 | 110 | 60% | 2466 | --- |
| 1.f3 | 92 | 46% | 2436 | --- |
| 1.Nh3 | 89 | 66% | 2508 | --- |
| 1.Na3 | 42 | 62% | 2482 | --- |
Please, wait...
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8 13.Nf1 Bf8 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bh4 g6 15...exd4 16.cxd4 c5 17.d5 g6 18.Bg3 Nb6 19.b3 Bg7 20.Rc1 a5 21.Bd3 b4 22.N3d2 a4 23.Ne3 axb3 24.axb3 Nh5 25.Bh2 Bb2 26.Bb5 Re7 27.Ng4 Nf6 28.Nxh6+ Kg7 29.Ng4 Bxc1 30.Qxc1 Nxg4 31.hxg4 16.N1h2 Bg7 17.dxe5 dxe5 18.Ng4 g5 18...Qe7 19.Qd2 g5 20.Nxf6+ Nxf6 21.Bg3 Nh5 22.a4 c5 23.Nh2 c4 24.Nf1 Nf4 19.Bg3 Nxg4 20.hxg4 Qe7 21.a4 c5 22.Nd2 Nf6 23.Nf1 Qe6 24.f3 h5 25.gxh5 25.Qd2 Bh6 26.Ne3 Red8 27.Qf2 hxg4 28.Nf5 25...Nxh5 26.Bf2 Rad8 27.Qc1 Nf4 28.Ne3 Qg6 29.axb5 axb5 30.Ra7 g4‼ 31.fxg4 Bxe4 32.Nf5 Bxc2 33.Qxc2 Qxg4 34.Be3 c4 35.Rb7 Rd3 35...Bf8! 36.Bxf4 36.Rxb5 Re6 37.Bxf4 exf4 38.Rxe6 Rd1+! 39.Kf2 fxe6 36...exf4 37.Rxe8 Rxe8! 36.Bxf4 Qxf5 37.Bc1 Qc8 37...e4 38.Ra7 Bf8 39.b4 Qe6 40.Qf2 Rxc3 41.Bd2 Rb3 42.Rf1 Qd5?! 42...Be7 43.Ra6 Qd5 43...Qxa6 44.Qxf7+ 43.Be3! Rxe3 44.Rxf7! 44.Qxe3 Qd4! 45.Qxd4 exd4 46.Rfxf7 d3! 44...Bh6 44...Rf3 45.Rxf3 Bg7 46.Qe2 Qd4+ 47.Kh1 Re6 48.Rh3 45.Qf5 Qd3 45...Qe4 46.Qd7 Ra8 47.Qe6+- 46.Qg4+ Kh8 47.R7f6 Rh3 47...Kh7?? 48.Rxh6+ Kxh6 49.Rf6+ 48.gxh3 Qh7 49.Kh1 Bf4 50.Qf3 Rg8 51.Rb6 Qc2 52.Qh5+ Qh7 53.Qxh7+ Kxh7 54.Rf3 1–0
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| Gashimov,V | 2733 | Navara,D | 2708 | 1–0 | 2011 | C95 | 53rd Masters | 8 |
| Vallejo Pons,F | 2698 | Gashimov,V | 2733 | 0–1 | 2011 | | 53rd Masters | 7.1 |
| Gashimov,V | 2733 | Ivanchuk,V | 2764 | 1–0 | 2011 | B12 | 53rd Masters | 6 |
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In 2010, Gashimov beat Magnus Carlsen in their round seven blindfold game at the Amber Chess Tournament. A year later Magnus got his revenge with a typical win in a theoretically drawn queen ending — GM Karsten Müller analysed the game extensively.
Gashimov played for Azerbaijan in the Chess Olympiads of 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008. He played in the gold medal-winning Azerbaijani team at the European Team Chess Championship in Novi Sad in 2009, alongside Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Teimour Radjabov, Rauf Mammadov and Gadir Guseinov. He previously won bronze medal (in 2007). In 2010 he did not represent his country at the Chess Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, due to a conflict with the national chess federation.
At the Champions' Dinner during the Mainz Chess Classic, we gave a remarkably difficult puzzle to a number of top players, including Vugar and his brother Sarkhan. Guess who solved the puzzle. The one who was weaker at over-the-board chess, by almost 400 Elo points!
Sarkhan Gashimov
Sarkhan Gashimov, the older brother and manager of GM Vugar Gashimov, is a project manager of Hewlett-Packard in Azerbaijan. He is also a strong chess player. Exactly two years ago he won the Donostia Blitz tournament, ahead of a bevy of strong GMs (Granda, Vachier-Lagrave, van Wely, Naiditsch, Cheparinov, Moiseenko).
When Vugar Gashimov fell ill in February 2000, doctors diagnosed epilepsy. Subsequently, a brain tumour was found, and while receiving treatment for this in a hospital in Heidelberg, Germany, Gashmimov died on the night of January 10-11, 2014.
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