In the opening round of the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijani grandmaster Aydin Suleymanli produced the kind of brilliance that makes chess followers sit up in disbelief. Against Indian GM Karthikeyan Murali, the 20-year-old unleashed a spectacular queen sacrifice in the Alapin Sicilian, turning preparation into artistry and handing his higher-rated opponent a crushing defeat.
The encounter began quietly enough with 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3, the Alapin Variation. Though often used as an anti-Sicilian weapon, it rarely appears at elite level. Suleymanli, however, had no intention of playing a sideline for mere surprise value. By move 14, the game exploded into life when he sacrificed his queen with 14.Nxc4 b5 15.Nb2, a deeply prepared novelty that set the tone for the rest of the battle.
From that point on, the computer may have been humming in the background of his preparation, but on the board it looked like pure genius. Black’s natural responses soon led him into trouble. Murali’s 18…Bg6 – a move one might play automatically – turned out to be a decisive mistake. After 19.Bg5, White’s pieces flowed with unstoppable momentum, targeting the exposed black king. By move 25, Suleymanli was still in his preparation, calmly finding accurate attacking continuations while Murali struggled to survive.
The final phase was clinical. White’s rook and bishops dominated the board, and after 40 moves, Murali resigned in a hopeless endgame. Astonishingly, Suleymanli finished the game with one hour and 29 minutes left on his clock, having barely spent any time at all, a testament to the depth of his prior analysis. It was a “great piece of opening preparation conducted to perfection.”
After the game, Suleymanli downplayed the brilliance, attributing his win not to over-the-board inspiration but to careful preparation. “Maybe it was not a great game,” he said in a post-match interview. “It was just great prep. Literally until the last move it was my prep. My opponent wasn’t expecting this because it was the first time I was playing this line. I made a queen sacrifice, and I think I made a novelty after the b5 move.”
He revealed that this wasn’t even tailored specifically for Murali. “Actually, I wanted to play this against another opponent in another tournament, but it happened in this tournament. It was just my line.” The comment underscored how much top-level chess depends not only on creativity but also on timing, bringing a hidden preparation to the board when the opponent is least ready.
Suleymanli is no stranger to the big stage. Born in Baku in 2005, he was a child prodigy who collected European youth titles in multiple age groups and became World U14 champion in 2019. His breakout came in 2020 when, as a 15-year-old, he won the prestigious Aeroflot Open. The following year, he earned the grandmaster title, becoming Azerbaijan’s 27th GM. Since then, he has continued to climb, crossing 2600 Elo and breaking into the world’s top 100 by late 2024.
The Grand Swiss has been a personal testing ground for his growth. “In the first one, in 2021, it was awful. I was literally last place,” he admitted with a laugh. “In 2023, it was decent. I made nine draws, won one against Gukesh, lost one, and I became 2600 there. So this tournament hopefully I also play good.”
Indeed, his Round 1 victory suggests he may be on course for his best Grand Swiss yet. The event, one of the strongest Swiss tournaments in the world, serves as a qualifier for the Candidates Tournament, making every point crucial. Starting with a decisive win over a seasoned grandmaster is a powerful statement of intent.
Despite playing almost monthly and traveling the globe, Suleymanli said he has grown used to the demands of professional chess. “We are all like this from childhood. Lots of chess players have seconds helping them, like a coach. So when I need something, I can ask my second and he helps me.”
That support system, combined with his own meticulous preparation, produced a masterpiece in Samarkand. What looked like a daring queen sacrifice was, in fact, the result of patient homework, waiting for the right moment to spring the trap.
For now, Suleymanli stands as the first victor of the 2025 Grand Swiss, his confidence boosted and his reputation enhanced. From finishing last just four years ago to defeating a 2669-rated opponent in style, his journey mirrors the progress of a player coming of age. And if his Round 1 preparation is any indicator, the rest of the field will have to be ready for more surprises from the young Azerbaijani.
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I’m Xuan Binh, the founder of Attacking Chess, and the Deputy Head of Communications at the Vietnam Chess Federation (VCF). My chess.com and lichess rating is above 2300, in both blitz and bullet. Follow me on Twitter (X).
