Grandmasters Leko and Humpy highly praised Uzbek chess players at the Zakovat Gambit final

The Zakovat Gambit final and opinions of star guests

The final stage of the V Zakovat Gambit tournament is coming to a close: in the preliminary qualifying rounds, according to Kun.uz, more than 6,000 chess players took part. Hungarian grandmaster Peter Leko and renowned Indian grandmaster Koneru Humpy were invited to the competition as honorary guests and shared their impressions of Uzbek chess players.

Leko: a 'historic defeat' at the hands of the Uzbek team

Peter Leko recalled that he recently took part in the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, where the Uzbek national team delivered a strong performance. In the match against Hungary, the Uzbeks won 4:0 — Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Javokhir Sindarov, Nodirbek Yakubbayev (listed in the publication as Yoqubboyev), Jahongir Vakhidov and Mukhiddin Madaminov, according to Leko, demonstrated a very strong game. The grandmaster called this defeat historic for his team and emphasized that a victory on home ground is especially valuable, since the hosts always face great pressure. He also noted that Uzbek chess players are not only strong players but also sincere, good people.

Humpy on the potential of the youth

Koneru Humpy, according to the publication, stated that young Uzbek chess players have great potential: with proper training and regular practice, they can achieve high results in the near future. She was especially impressed by the talent of the two young players she played against. She also singled out the support for chess from local sponsors and the state, calling such assistance important for the development of young chess players. Leko, who watched the blitz games of the Zakovat Gambit participants, also noted that the level of the youth is extremely high and a new generation is emerging.