The Azerbaijan National Championship in Rapid and Blitz Chess for Men and Women has kicked off, bringing together the country's strongest chess players, Azernews reports.

The tournament is jointly organized by the Azerbaijan Chess Federation (ACF) and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The championship is conducted in 9 rounds according to the Swiss system, based on the FIDE (International Chess Federation) Laws of Chess.

The total prize fund for the men's and women's events is 10,000 manats.

Thirty‐two players are competing in the men's section, while twenty players are taking part in the women's section.

The chief arbiter of the Azerbaijani Championship is Lutfiyar Rustamov.

The top three players of the championship will be nominated by the ACF to participate in the World Championship.

For centuries, chess has been a popular game in Azerbaijan, with ancient roots closely related to traditions.

The country could preserve these traditions as chess remains a crucially popular sport for now.

To popularise this original game, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, who is also the chairman of the National Olympic Committee, signed in 2009 an executive order initiating a state-supported chess development program, covering the years 2009-2014.

The 42nd Chess Olympiad, held in Baku, is indeed an excellent example of great attention paid to the development of chess games in the country.

The large-scale event attracted a total of 1,587 participants, including 894 in the Open category and 693 in the Women's event, making the Baku Chess Olympiad a significant event.

Similarly, the FIDE World Chess Cup 2023 in Baku captivated chess fans with its high-calibre competition and exhilarating matches.

Featuring a highly competitive lineup, the World Cup provided an exciting venue to display the remarkable skill and strategic finesse of elite chess players.

Approximately 206 competitors participated in the open section, along with 103 players in the women's competition.

The national chess players have always been taking high places at top-ranked tournaments.

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