Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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Vice-President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation Faig Hasanov, has been honored with a place in the Guinness Book of Records for his remarkable tenure as a chess referee, Azernews reports.

This prestigious accolade was unveiled during a special event commemorating his 85th birthday.

The celebration, attended by the Azerbaijan Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov, President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation and FIDE Vice-President Mahir Mammadov, former FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, President of the Georgian Chess Federation Akaki Iashvili, five-time world champion Nona Gaprindashvili, national chess team member Shahriyar Mammadyarov, and many others.

At the ceremony, it was announced that Faig Hasanov has been officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the male chess referee with the longest career in the sport's history.

His illustrious career spans an impressive 60 years and 149 days, during which he has dedicated himself to officiating numerous international chess tournaments.

Guinness World Records representative, Sheida Subashi, confirmed that all details were meticulously reviewed and met the necessary criteria for the record.

Faig Hasanov began his career as an international referee in 1964 during a tournament held in Baku. He was actively involved in officiating competitions among the nations of the USSR.

In 1980, he earned the esteemed title of International Arbiter from FIDE. Throughout his career, he has officiated various prestigious events, including World and European Championships, Olympiads, and the World Team Chess Championship. For two decades, he has been a key figure at the Linares tournament, and he served as the chief arbiter for the inaugural FIDE Grand Prix tournament in Baku. In 2006, he was a member of the reconstituted Appeal Committee during the World Chess Championship.

In addition to his refereeing duties, Hasanov is widely recognized as the television host of the weekly program "Şahmat klubu" (Chess Club), which airs every Sunday on AzTV. He has been at the helm of this show for an impressive 40 years, making it one of the longest-running programs in the history of the AzTV channel.
For his significant contributions to the advancement of chess in Azerbaijan, Hasanov was honored with the Shohrat Order (Order of Glory). Since 2006, he has also held the position of Vice-President of the Azerbaijani Chess Federation, which was founded in 1920.

The first World Chess Olympiad in Azerbaijan was arranged at the Baku Crystal Hall, a multipurpose sports and concert arena. The chess tournament gathered about 2,000 chess masters from 175 countries.

The FIDE World Chess Cup 2023 in Baku also managed to captivate chess enthusiasts with its high-level competition and thrilling encounters.

With a highly competitive field of players, the World Cup offered an exciting platform for showcasing the immense talent and strategic prowess of top chess players.

The tournament gathered around 206 players in the open section and 103 in the women's competition.

The Azerbaijani team included 17 chess players, including Shahriyar Mammadyarov, Teymur Rajabov, Gunay Mammadzade, Rauf Mammadov, Gadir Huseynov, Vasif Durarbayli, Nijat Abasov, Abdulla Gadimbayli, Misratdin Isgandarov, Muhammad Muradli, Vugar Asadli, Riad Samadov, Aydin Suleymanli, Ulviyya Fataliyeva, Gulnar Mammadova, Khanim Balajayeva, and Govhar Beydullayeva.

The top three players from both the open and women's sections qualified for the first time in the Men Candidates Tournament and the Women Candidates Tournament 2024.