2024-10-02 05:37:26
The opening ceremony of the Vugar Gashimov Chess Memorial, which is being held for the 10th time, was held in the cultural capital of Azerbaijan – the city of Shusha.
As Day.Az was informed by the Azerbaijan Chess Federation (AFC), the opening ceremony of the tournament, organized jointly by the Vugar Gashimov Chess Foundation, the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijan Chess Federation, was held at the Shusha Hotel.
First, the chief adviser of the Special Representation of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Shusha region, Suleiman Rustamov, shared his opinion about the event.
Then a video was shown dedicated to the life and sports career of Vugar Gashimov. After this, the President of the FSA, Vice-President of the International Chess Federation Mahir Mamedov emphasized that strong chess players are participating in the tournament. He noted that Vugar Gashimov is one of the famous chess players in the world.
A video was also shown reflecting the historical moments of the Vugar Gashimov Memorial, which took place in Shamkir, Baku and Gabala in previous years. Then the floor was given to the head of the Organizing Committee of the Vugar Gashimov Memorial, Vugar Gashimov’s father Gasym Gashimov. On behalf of his family, Gasim Gashimov expressed gratitude to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, who supports the traditional holding of the tournament every year.
At the end of the opening ceremony, the chief judge of the Vugar Gashimov Memorial, Rauf Hajili, introduced the chess players to the rules. Then the draw took place.
Vugar Gashimov’s father Gasym Gashimov, head of the FSA Mahir Mamedov, two-time winner of the Paralympic Games, multiple world and European champion Ilham Zakiyev and Deputy Secretary of the Security Council under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Madat Guliyev symbolically made the first moves in the first round of the rapid.
It should be noted that Azerbaijan will be represented at the tournament by three chess players. These are members of the national team Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Rauf Mamedov and Aydin Suleymanly. Also participating in the tournament will be Nodirbek Abdussatorov (Uzbekistan), Ian Nepomniachtchi (FIDE), Richard Rapport (Hungary), Vladislav Artemyev (FIDE) and Aravind Chitambaram (India). The winner of the tournament will be determined by the sum of results in rapid and blitz.