Jobava and Sanal on the podium

The 2025 Baku Open concluded on 6 May at the beautiful Baku Crystal Hall, marking the first event in the newly established Chess Tour Azerbaijan, a series of eight tournaments to be held across the country.

The event featured three sections (Groups A, B, and C) each following a 9-round Swiss format with classical time control. Nearly 700 players from 16 countries participated, competing for a total prize fund of $55,000, with $12,000 awarded to the Group A winner.

In Group A, Aleksandar Indjic of Serbia lived up to his status as the top seed, claiming the title with a score of 7/9. The 2024 European Champion remained unbeaten throughout the event, securing decisive wins at key moments, including a pivotal fifth-round victory over Mahammad Muradli of Azerbaijan. Muradli, who had started strongly with four consecutive wins, lost momentum after the defeat and failed to recover the lead. Two rounds later, Indjic got the better of title contender Vahap Sanal while marshalling the black pieces (see analysis of the game below).

Master Class Vol. 18: Max Euwe

Experts examine the games of Max Euwe. Let them show you which openings Euwe chose to play, where his strength in middlegames were, which tactical abilities he had or how he outplayed his opponents in the endgame.
Max Euwe became the fifth World Chess Champion after beating Alexander Alekhine in the 1935 World Championship match. A maths teacher by profession, Euwe remained an amateur throughout his life, but was still the best chess player in the Netherlands, and one of the world's best players. Euwe holds the record for the most Dutch national championships, with twelve. After winning the World Championship, Euwe was also the world's best player for a while. He lost the title again in 1937 in the rematch against Alexander Alekhine.
Free video sample: Openings

Georgian GM Baadur Jobava and Turkish GM Vahap Sanal finished just half a point behind Indjic, each scoring 6½/9. Jobava, who also remained undefeated, secured second place based on the higher average rating of his opponents, while Sanal took third.

In Group B, Georgian player Nikoloz Chkhaidze emerged as the winner, while Group C saw a tightly contested finish, with Akbar Mirzayev of Azerbaijan edging out Kamran Babayev on tiebreaks (Buchholz system) to claim the title.

Aleksandar Indjic

Sanal 0-1 Indjic

Sanal, Vahap2550

0–1

Indjic, Aleksandar2644

Baku Open 2025 04.05.2025[CC]

1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 Bf5 3.Bb2 e6 4.d3 c5 5.Nbd2 Nf6 6.g3 Nc6 7.Bg2 h6 8.0-0 Bh7 9.Re1

Sanal opted for more of a strategic approach in this crucial encounter. None of his pieces is placed past the third rank for the time being. 9...Be7 10.e4 0-0 11.Ne5 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 Nd7 13.Bb2 Bf6 14.Qc1 A novelty by the Turkish grandmaster. Two predecessor games had gone 14.e5 Be7 15.Qe2 Qc7 16.c4 14...d4 15.f4 e5 16.Nf3 Re8 17.Qd2 b5 18.f5 This move is not approved by the engines. Things had gone well for Sanal, given his unambitious approach. Closing the position on the kingside means White intends to push his army on that side of the board. Meanwhile, Black will continue to make progress in the centre and the queenside. Stronger is 18.a4 c4 19.Ba3 c3 20.Qf2 18...c4 19.Qf2 g5

20.dxc4 Another inaccuracy while still in a position close to fully balanced. Taking en passan was called for, and this can only be done in this exact move - otherwise, as seen in the game, White will have a tough time mobilising his pieces on the kingside. There might have followed 20.fxg6 fxg6 21.bxc4 bxc4 22.Bh3 Rb8 23.Ba3 etcetera. 20...bxc4 21.c3 d3 Indjic decides to get a passer immediately, locking the pawn structure temporarily. This is a similar inaccuracy to the one made by White with f4-f5 and not capturing on g6. Better is 21...Rc8 and e.g. 22.Rad1 g4 23.Nh4 Qa5 as Black improves his pieces before making major decisions. 22.Nd2 Be7 23.Kh1 Nb6 24.Rad1 Qc7 25.Bf1 Red8 26.Bc1 Kg7

27.Nf3 The position remained dynamically balanced until Sanal played this imprecise knight manoeuvre. White needed to deal with Black's central pawns at once with 27.bxc4 Nxc4 28.Nxc4 Qxc4 29.Qf3 f6 30.Bxd3 Qxc3 though Indjic is also for choice here. Nevertheless, this is better for White than the line seen in the game. 27...f6 28.b4 Once again fixing the structure is a mistake. From this point on, Black will improve his pieces while keeping a permanent threat of entering an endgame in which his d-pawn might become a monster. Focusing on defence with 28.Be3 Bg8 29.Nd2 was called for. 28...Na4 29.Bd2 Bg8 30.Rb1 Bf7 31.Bg2 a5 32.a3 Rdb8 33.Rec1 Nb6 34.h3 axb4 35.axb4 Ra2 36.Nh2 Nc8 37.Nf1 Nd6 38.Qe1 Rba8

Black controls the only open file on the board. Indjic has a winning position. 39.g4 Bd8 40.Bf3 Qa7 41.Be3 Bb6 42.Bxb6 Qxb6 43.Nd2 R8a3 44.Ra1 Rxa1 45.Rxa1 Rxc3 Sanal resigned, as the rest is simple for players of this calibre. 0–1

Attacking with the Jobava London System

The Jobava London System is a minor form of the London System. White tries to play Lf4 quickly followed by Nc3.

The spacious playing hall

Final standings

....60 players

All available games

Links

• Official website
• Aleksandar Indjic wins 2024 European Championship