Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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Azerbaijan's junior chess players have secured three medals at the European Youth Chess Championship held in Budva, Montenegro, Azernews reports.

In the 14-year-old boys' category, Khagan Ahmad earned 7.5 points and claimed first place.

In the 10-year-old girls' competition, Mehriban Ahmadli earned 7.5 points from 9 rounds and was awarded the silver medal. In the 16-year-old girls' category, Maryam Agaverdiyeva scored 7 points from 9 games and won the bronze medal.

Two other Azerbaijani chess players also finished in the top five. In the 16-year-old boys' category, Rustam Rustamov placed among the top five, while in the 8-year-old boys' competition, Kanan Babasoy shared the 2nd to 5th positions.

With one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal, Azerbaijan finished 5th in the team standings out of 48 countries.

At the closing ceremony, winners and medalists were presented with medals, trophies, and diplomas. The Azerbaijani National Anthem was played in honour of Khagan Ahmad, the gold medalist in the 14-year-old boys' category.

A total of 1169 chess players from 48 countries competed in the European Youth Chess 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.