With a personal best rating of 2820, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov stands as the sixth-highest-rated player in the history of chess. Born in 1985 in the industrial city of Sumgait, Azerbaijan, he rose to prominence as a two-time World Junior Champion and has remained a fixture of elite tournament play for over two decades.
Early Development and Junior Success
Mamedyarov’s introduction to chess began under the instruction of his father, a former boxer who also provided training in the sport of boxing. His development accelerated in the early 2000s, leading to his status as the only two-time World Junior Chess Champion, securing titles in 2003 and 2005. During the 2005 championship, he recorded a performance rating of 2953 over eight rounds.
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His professional career is marked by consistency across various formats. In 2006, he won the Essent Chess Tournament in Hoogeveen, besting Judit Polgár on tie-breaks. He followed this with significant victories, including the 2013 World Rapid Chess Championship and the 2018 Biel Chess Festival, where he defeated reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen. Additional notable wins include the 2016 and 2017 Shamkir Chess tournaments, known as the Vugar Gashimov Memorial, and the 2021 Superbet Chess Classic.
Candidates and World Championship Cycles
Mamedyarov has been a frequent competitor in the FIDE Candidates Tournament to determine the challenger for the world title. He competed in 2011, 2014, and 2018, achieving his best result in 2018 when he finished as runner-up to Fabiano Caruana.
International Team Representation
A key figure for the Azerbaijan national team, Mamedyarov has participated in multiple Chess Olympiads since 2000. He contributed to three team gold medal finishes at the European Team Chess Championship in 2009, 2013, and 2017. Furthermore, he was awarded a gold medal for his performance on the third board during the 2012 Chess Olympiad and received the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic 100th anniversary medal.
Fast facts
- Born: 1985, Sumgait, Azerbaijan
- Highest Rating: 2820
- World Junior Champion: 2003, 2005
- World Rapid Champion: 2013
- Candidates Tournament 2018: 2nd place
- European Team Chess Champion: 2009, 2013, 2017
Questions readers ask
What is Mamedyarov's highest chess rating?
His personal best rating is 2820, which ranks him as the sixth-highest-rated player in chess history.
How many times did he win the World Junior Chess Championship?
He won the title twice, in 2003 and 2005.
Achievements
- Represented SV Werder Bremen and Eczacıbaşı Spor Kulübü
- Competed at Candidates Tournament 2018, 34th Chess Olympiad and 35th Chess Olympiad
- Discipline: chess
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