The Biel International Chess Festival regrets to announce that Nodirbek Yakubboev has been forced to withdraw from the 2026 Masters Triathlon due to visa-related circumstances that prevent him from travelling to Switzerland in time for the start of the competition.
The Festival sincerely thanks Nodirbek Yakubboev for the efforts he made to find a solution and wishes him every success in his upcoming tournaments.
The Organising Committee is pleased to announce that GM Aydin Suleymanli (Azerbaijan) has accepted the invitation to join the Masters field.
GM Aydin Suleymanli (Azerbaijan), who will make his debut in the Biel Masters Triathlon.
At just 21 years of age, Suleymanli has already established himself among Azerbaijan’s leading players. World Under-14 Champion in 2019, he became a Grandmaster in 2021 before winning the Azerbaijani Championship in 2024 and the bronze medal at the 2026 European Individual Championship. He is currently ranked 57th in the world.
His arrival preserves the outstanding sporting level of the Masters Triathlon, where six elite grandmasters will compete in classical, rapid and blitz chess to determine the most complete player.
The Biel International Chess Festival warmly welcomes Aydin Suleymanli and looks forward to his first appearance in Biel.