Koneru Hampi: "Young chess players of Uzbekistan have great potential"
The final stage of the 5th "Zakovat Gambit" chess tournament is taking place in Tashkent. One of the famous grandmasters, Koneru Hampi from India, was also invited as a guest to the event. "I was amazed by the talent of the two young chess players I played against myself," says Hampi.
Koneru Hampi: "Young chess players of Uzbekistan have great potential"
The final stage of the V "Zakovat Gambit" tournament, in which over 6,000 chess players competed in the initial qualifying stage, is taking place. Hungarian Grandmaster Peter Leko, invited to the tournament as a guest, shared his thoughts on the achievements of the Uzbekistan national team and the young chess players growing up in the country.
"I recently participated in the Chess Olympiad held in Samarkand. The Uzbekistan team showed a great result. Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Javohir Sindorov, Nodirbek Yoqubboyev, Jahongir Vohidov, and Muhiddin Madaminov demonstrated a very strong game. They also defeated us — the score was 4:0. It was a historic defeat. Winning on home soil is a historic result, because there is always great pressure and high expectations on the host team. Despite this, the Uzbekistan team showed a brilliant performance and acted with strong spirit and confidence. They are not only strong chess players, but also very sincere and good people. I appreciate this very much. What I saw at the "Zakovat Gambit" tournament also amazed me. I watched the young people play blitz. Their level is extremely high. Indeed, one can see a new generation emerging," Leko said.
The famous Indian Grandmaster Koneru Hampi also expressed positive views about Uzbekistan's chess players. She noted that young players can achieve high results in the near future through proper preparation and regular training.
"If they prepare properly, they will become very strong chess players in the near future. I was particularly amazed by the talent of two young chess players I played against. Also, the support provided to chess by local sponsors and the government should be highlighted. Such support is of great importance for the development of young chess players and their achievement of even higher results in the future," she says.