FIDE president credits chess level of Azerbaijan

President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Arkady Dvorkovich has said Azerbaijan has held several prestigious chess competitions at a high level.

He made the remarks at a press conference on the World Chess Cup, which starts in Baku, Azertac reports.

It is not easy to organise such an event, Arkady Dvorkovich said that more than 300 chess players from almost 100 countries will take part in the World Cup competitions in Baku. Stressing that cooperation between the Azerbaijan Chess Federation and FIDE is at a high level, he expressed confidence that the competition will be held in a fair fight and everyone who will watch the game will enjoy it.

As many as 206 chess players will take part in the open World Cup competitions, which will be held for the 10th time, and 103 chess players will take part in the women's competition.

The strongest chess players on the planet will compete for the World Cup, including world rating leader Magnus Carlsen (Norway, 2835), representatives of Azerbaijan Teymur Rajabov and Shahriyar Mammadyarov, as well as Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana (US), Anish Giri (Netherlands), Gukesh Dommaraju (India).

The women's competition will feature reigning world champion Ju Wenjun (China), as well as Alexandra Goryachkina (FIDE), Hampi Koneru (India), Katerina Lagno (FIDE), Alexandra Kosteniuk (Switzerland), Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia), Maria and Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine), Gunay Mammadzada (Azerbaijan).

Apart from Teymur Rajabov and Shakhriyar Mammadyarov, Azerbaijan will be represented by Rauf Mammadov, Gadir Huseynov, Vasif Durarbayli, Nijat Abasov, Eltaj Safarli, Abdullah Gadimbayli, Misretdin Iskandarov, Nijat Mammadov, Aydin Suleymanli, Muhammad Muradli, Vugar Asadli, the leader of the national women's team Gunay Mammadzada, as well as Ulviya Fataliyeva, Gulnar Mammadova, Govhar Beydullaeva, and Khanim Balajayeva.

The chess players who take the first three places in the men's competition will receive a ticket to the Candidates Tournament. The total prize fund of the competition is $2.5 million.

The World Chess Cup will be held in Baku for the second time after an eight-year break. The prestigious competition was first held in Azerbaijan in 2015.