Shirvan Open 2025 unites international chess players

Shirvan Open 2025 has brought together over 240 experienced chess players from 8 countries, Azernews reports.

The tournament was co-organized by the Azerbaijan Chess Federation, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Shirvan City Executive Power, and the Shirvan Olympic Sports Complex.

This chess festival was the 8th and final event of this year's "Chess Tour Azerbaijan" project organized by the Azerbaijan Chess Federation. In total, the winners in various categories will receive a total prize fund of 22,650 manats.

At Shirvan Open 2025, Indian chess player Mayank Chakraborty won Group A, followed by Azerbaijani player Vugar Rasulov in second place and India's Subhayan Kundu in third.

Maharram Jafarov claimed first place in Group B, followed by Ali Salimzade in second and Fuad Mammadov in third.

The winner of the rapid tournament held as part of the festival was Murad Ibrahimli. Vugar Manafov won the blitz tournament.

Earlier, the chess festival within "Chess Tour Azerbaijan" project took place in Ganja city.

In the A group of the Ganja Open 2025, which featured over 300 chess players from 12 countries, Leon Mendonca from India took first place with 7 points.

In the B group, Emil Mehraliyev secured first place with 8 points, ahead of all his competitors. Amin Gurbanov and Alisafa Zeynalli shared 2nd–3rd places, each scoring 7.5 points.

In the Rapid competition, Azerbaijani chess player Khazar Babazade emerged victorious, while the Blitz tournament was won by Uzbekistan's Muhammadzohid Suyarov.

Another national chess players Tunar Davudov earned his first international master norm.

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.