Baku Open 2016 chess tournament kicks off [PHOTO]
![Baku Open 2016 chess tournament kicks off [PHOTO]](https://www.azernews.az/media/2016/09/20/baku_open_2016_1.jpg)
By Amina Nazarli
The International Chess Festival Baku Open 2016 kicked off in
Baku on September 19.
The sporting event is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of
Azerbaijan's independence.
Azerbaijani GMs Nijat Abbasov, Ulvi Bajarani, Vugar Rasulov, Zaur Mammadov, Sarkhan Guliyev, Narmin Kazimova, Khayala Abdulla, Turkan and Zeynab Mammadyarova will compete at the tournament.
The Festival is co-organized by the Youth and Sport Ministry and the Azerbaijan Chess Federation.
The total prize fund of the tournament is $25.000.
The tournament A is open for the players rated equally or higher than FIDE ELO=2250 and for women rated equally or higher than 2100, while the tournament B is open for the players rated equally or lower FIDE ELO=2249 (for women - equally or lower FIDE ELO=2099).
The A tournament brings together 56 players from 9 countries, including 18 GMs, while 128 players from Azerbaijan, Iran, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Russia will vie for medals in the B tournament.
The development of chess in Azerbaijan today remains a state policy. Almost every Azerbaijani region has its own chess school what gives children from different families a chance to develop their talents.
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