Azerbaijan Always on My Mind, Says Scotland’s Youngest Chess Champ

Jerusalem, 15 May, 2025 (TPS-IL) -- London (AZERTAC) – He started playing chess by chance. Today, he is the youngest three-time chess champion in Scotland. Murad Abdulla, who has achieved success in both education and sports since his young age, is one of the Azerbaijani youth who has managed to distinguish himself with his hard work and will.

Murad, who moved to Scotland with his family as a child, was formed here under the influence of two different cultures. In an interview with AZERTAC , he shared how his interest in chess arose, his first major victories, his current professional field, and his plans for the future. At the same time, he also talked about how he maintains his identity as a young diaspora.

Let’s start with your story first. Where were you born and when did your family move to Scotland?

I was born in Baku in 2000. My family moved to Scotland when I was five years old due to my father’s work.

You grew up between two cultures since childhood. How has this experience influenced your life and how have you maintained your connection to Azerbaijan?

Growing up between two cultures was a great advantage for me. It gave me a broader worldview and a deeper understanding of the culture of both my native and the country I live in. Of course, I had difficulties at first, because as someone who spent most of my time in Sheki with my grandparents, I suddenly found myself in a completely foreign country whose language I did not understand.

On the first day of school, the teachers brought a Turkish-speaking boy from another class to comfort me, but he also did not fully understand me, perhaps because of my accent. Then I became friends with a Polish boy who was my classmate. Neither of us knew English yet, but we all understood and laughed in our own language. It was as if we had created a language for ourselves. Over time, I adapted to the new environment, made friends through school and football. We also established relationships with other Azerbaijani families. Thus, the cultures of Azerbaijan and Scotland naturally merged in my personality.

My connection to Azerbaijan has always been strong, both culturally and personally. We always speak Azerbaijani at home, so I understand and can speak the language well. I grew up with classic Azerbaijani films, music and mugham. My father often played mugham at home. The Azerbaijani dishes my mother cooked are still an absolute standard of taste and quality for me. I can rarely find this taste in Western cuisine.

In addition, I have maintained my connection with Azerbaijan not only within the family, but also in my social life. I always keep active in my contact with other Azerbaijani families living in Scotland and friends at the university. It has been important for me to celebrate our Karabakh victory, celebrate national traditions such as Novruz with the Azerbaijani community living here, and follow Azerbaijani music and socio-political news. I have always felt like a member of the diaspora and have remained faithful to this affiliation.

In recent years, I have not had much time to visit Baku, as I have been busy with internship programs, work and chess competitions during the summer months. But I hope to visit again this summer with my family.

How did you start playing chess? Did your family encourage you to do it, or did you develop an interest in it yourself during your school days?

Actually, how I got into chess is a bit of a mystery to me. Because I never sat down at a table and learned it formally. Back when we were living in Baku, my brother used to go to the local chess club and take lessons. When my mother would pick him up from lessons, she would take me with her, and I would run around the club, throwing pieces around, creating some kind of chaos. Maybe I just instilled some concepts into my subconscious through what I heard. Because of the sense of ‘competition’ between siblings, I always looked up to him with admiration and tried to imitate everything he did. This is probably where my interest in chess stems from.

When did you realize you had chess potential?

As a child, one day I wanted to go to a shop to buy a toy. My father was working on a chess problem on the computer. Time passed and the shop was about to close. I looked at the puzzle and instinctively said one move, which was the right answer. My father then started looking for a chess club for me. That’s how my chess career began.

One of the important stages was when I joined the NEJCA club – the North East Children’s Chess Association. This club was run by Dr. Gerald Lobley. He was a distinguished person who was awarded the Order of the British Empire. After that, I was even more motivated by several successes from an early age.

For example, winning my first NEJCA tournament and defeating grandmaster Sarunas Sulskis in a simultaneous game when I was 11 were important milestones on this path. That game lasted until midnight and was the longest match of the tournament. And I was very happy that I won in the end.

Then I became Scottish Champion. This title was especially valuable to me because the Scottish Cup was created over a hundred years ago and the name of the winner is engraved on it every time. It made me very proud to have my name inscribed on this history three times (2017, 2018 and 2022).

After winning, people often asked me where I was from, and when they heard that I was from Azerbaijan, they asked me about our country. This gave me a great opportunity to talk about our homeland, our people, and our culture. In recent years, especially after our Victory, I clearly feel that Azerbaijan’s international reputation has increased even more. This is a source of great pride and honor for Azerbaijanis living abroad. Regardless of where I live, Azerbaijan is always with me in my successes and in my way of thinking.

Are you currently following the chess scene in Azerbaijan? What position do you think our country holds in world chess? Were there any Azerbaijani chess players who influenced you during the period when you were forming your game?

I closely follow the chess scene in Azerbaijan. I keep in touch with Gadir Huseynov, one of the leading grandmasters of our country. He helps me analyze my games, supports me by training me. Interestingly, he is also the coach of my close friend Andrew Green in Scotland. Andrew played an important role in my rise in chess. In addition, I have friendly relations with Azerbaijani chess players whom I met at various European and world championships among juniors.

Azerbaijan today occupies a unique place on the world chess map. Our teams, both men’s and women’s, are often among the prizewinners in international competitions. Especially in the early 2010s, the names of our masters such as Shahriyar Mammadyarov, Teymur Rajabov, Gadir Huseynov, Rauf Mammadov and the late Vugar Hashimov were at the forefront of world chess. My father would jokingly compare this generation to the famous Azerbaijani vocal quartet “Gaya.”

I think that the style of play of our Azerbaijani chess players reflects the character of our people, that is, dynamism, tactics and constant striving for victory. I have also taken as an example players like Shahriyar Mammadyarov and Vugar Hashimov, who demonstrate a sharp and creative style.

You are currently working in the financial sector, as a trader at IMC. How did the transition to this field happen? What attracted you to this direction?

I studied data science at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. As part of my degree, I took courses in mathematics and computer science. In my final years, I chose financial mathematics and machine learning modules. At the same time, when the pandemic was affecting global financial markets, I became very interested in trading and started experimenting with financial markets for fun.

My interest in this field deepened over time. Because it suited both my skills and interests. Trading, like chess, requires analytical thinking, the ability to see similarities and make the right decisions in a short time. Also, this job gives me the opportunity to apply what I learned at university in real life, which is very valuable.

So, are you still actively involved in chess, or is it just a hobby for you?

Currently, chess has become mainly an additional hobby to my professional activities. It is a bit difficult to devote time to daily training, as it was during my school years. However, I try to plan my time properly and train as much as possible.

Do you participate in competitions? Are there any tournaments or goals you have planned for the near future?

Yes, I regularly participate in competitions, league games and local weekend tournaments. My main goal at the moment is to win the International Master (IM) title. I have already achieved one of the three required norms. I plan to participate more often this year. If time allows, I would love to participate in one of the chess festival tournaments to be held in Azerbaijan this year.

What message would you like to give to young people who follow your path to success, especially those from migrant families?

I would like to tell them that in such a unique environment, having both an Azerbaijani identity and different cultures is a great opportunity. This makes a person a more complete and richer personality. Young people should constantly work to achieve the goals they set for themselves and make the most of the available opportunities.

At the same time, they should never lose touch with their roots, because there is no place as dear and valuable to a person as the Motherland.