Baku Open 2026 Int'l Chess Festival brings together top-seeded players

"Baku Open 2026" International Chess Festival has kicked off at Baku Crystal Hall, AzerNEWS reports. The chess fesival is jointly organized by the Azerbaijan Chess Federation and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The opening ceremony began with the playing of the Azerbaijan National Anthem.

In his speech, President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation, Mahir Mammadov, stated that a record 980 players are participating in the festival. He noted that Azerbaijan is widely recognized as a strong chess nation and emphasized the significant state support for the development of the game.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov also addressed the ceremony, highlighting Azerbaijan's long-standing chess tradition, the country's sporting achievements, and continued government backing for sports.

The tournament will include 150 top-seeded players from countries such as Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, China, England, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkiye, Ukraine, the United States, Uzbekistan, as well as a FIDE flag participant.

The competition will follow a 9-round Swiss system format and be divided into three sections (A, B, and C), with a total prize fund of USD 50,000.