Winners crowned at Baku Open 2026 Int'l Chess Festival [PHOTOS]

8 May 2026 18:11 (UTC+04:00)

Laman Ismayilova

The "Baku Open 2026" International Chess Festival concluded in Baku with an award ceremony celebrating champions across multiple categories, AzerNEWS reports.

The chess festival was jointly organized by the Azerbaijan Chess Federation and the Azerbaijan Ministry of Youth and Sports. The award ceremony took place at the Baku Crystal Hall.

The event marked the conclusion of one of the largest chess tournaments hosted in the region, bringing together hundreds of players from around the world in Baku

Medals were first presented to the winners in the veterans’ category, recognizing their achievements and contributions to the sport.

This was followed by the awarding of prizes across various age categories, highlighting the strong performance of young and emerging talents alongside experienced competitors.

The prizes were presented by Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov, President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Arkady Dvorkovich, President of the European Chess Union Zurab Azmaiparashvili, President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation Mahir Mammadov, and other distinguished guests.

The tournament brought together more than 900 chess players from 10 countries, reflecting the growing international status of the event and Azerbaijan's continued role as a key destination in the global chess calendar.

The total prize fund of the "Baku Open 2026" International Chess Festival amounted to 50,000 US dollars, further underlining its competitive prestige and importance in the international chess community.