Firuza Velikhanli Explained

Firuza Velikhanli
Country:	Soviet Union Azerbaijan
Birth Date:	26 October 1970
Woman Grandmaster (1994)
Peakrating:	2355 (July 1995)
Peakranking:	No. 34 woman (July 1995)^[1]
Fideid:	13400029

Firuza Velikhanli (az|Firuzə Orxan qızı Vəlixanlı; born 26 October 1970) is an Azerbaijani chess player who holds the FIDE title of Woman Grandmaster (WGM, 1994). European Women's Team Chess Championship team bronze medal winner (1992).

Biography

From the mid-1980s to the early 2000s, Velikhanli was one of the leading female chess players in Azerbaijan. In 1986, in Minsk she with Azerbaijan SSR women's team won 1st Soviet Women's Team Chess Championship. At second board, she showed outstanding result, winning all 8 of her games.^[2]

Velikhanli participated twice in USSR Women's Chess Championship finals:

• in 1987 in Tbilisi she ranked at last, 20th place;
• in 1989 in Volzhsky she shared 8th-10th place with Marina Sheremetieva and Zoya Lelchuk.

She played for Azerbaijan in the Women's Chess Olympiads:^[3]

• In 1992, at second board in the 30th Chess Olympiad (women) in Manila (+7, =3, -4),
• In 1994, at second board in the 31st Chess Olympiad (women) in Moscow (+6, =4, -3),
• In 2002, at first board in the 35th Chess Olympiad (women) in Bled (+6, =3, -5),
• In 2004, at second board in the 36th Chess Olympiad (women) in Calvià (+5, =5, -4).

Velikhanli played for Azerbaijan in the European Women's Team Chess Championships:^[4]

• In 1992, at first board in the 1st European Team Chess Championship (women) in Debrecen (+3, =3, -2) and won team and individual bronze medals,
• In 1997, at second board in the 2nd European Team Chess Championship (women) in Pula (+4, =5, -0).

She played for Azerbaijan in the World Youth U26 Team Chess Championship:^[5]

• In 1993, at first reserve board in the 9th World Youth U26 Team Chess Championship in Paranaguá (+2, =1, -1).

In 1990, Velikhanli was awarded the FIDE Woman International Master (WIM) title and in 1994 she received the title of FIDE Woman Grandmaster (WGM).

In 1991, she was awarded an Honorary Diploma of the Azerbaijan SSR for her chess performance.^[6] In 1995, she was awarded Taraggi Medal by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan for her services in the development of sports in Azerbaijan.^[7]

Notes and References

1. Web site: FIDE Rating List :: July 1995. OlimpBase. 30 June 2022.
2. Web site: 1st Soviet Women's Team Chess Championship, Minsk 1986, Azerbaijan SSR. OlimpBase.org.
3. Web site: Women's Chess Olympiads :: Firuza Velikhanli. Wojciech. Bartelski. OlimpBase.org.
4. Web site: European Women's Team Chess Championship :: Firuza Velikhanli. OlimpBase.org.
5. Web site: World Youth U26 Team Chess Championship :: Firuza Velikhanli. OlimpBase.org.
6. Web site: 152 - İdmançılardan bir qrupunun Azərbaycan SSR-in Fəxri fərmanı ilə təltif edilməsi haqqında. e-qanun.az.
7. Web site: Azərbaycan Respublikası idmançılarının təltif edilməsi haqqında. e-qanun.az. 2019-10-18. 2016-09-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20160924024130/http://www.e-qanun.az/alpidata/framework/data/9/f_9219.htm. dead.