Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

Read more

Ahead of Azerbaijan's National Press Day, representatives of the country's media temporarily traded their microphones and laptops for chessboards to determine the strongest players in an intellectual contest, AzerNEWS reports.

At the initiative of the Azerbaijan Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Azerbaijan Chess Federation, a traditional chess tournament for journalists was held, Trend's correspondent reports. The competition was organized as part of the "Baku 2026 – World Sports Capital" project and was dedicated to National Press Day, celebrated on July 22.

The tournament took place at the AĞ AT Chess School, where 14 representatives from various media outlets competed in seven two-player teams. Over the course of seven rounds of blitz chess (5 minutes + 3 seconds increment per move), participants demonstrated not only competitive spirit but also strategic thinking, composure, and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.

At the end of the tournament, the team of Vugar Imanov (Trend correspondent) and Ayaz Gurbanov (Flashscore correspondent) claimed first place with 5 points. Finishing just half a point behind the winners were Ilkin Vidadioglu and Israel Kheyrullayev, who secured second place. The team of Iman Majidov and Seymur Bakhshiyev completed the podium in third place.

A special highlight of the tournament was the super match, in which the winners of this year's competition faced Jeyhun Aliyev, the champion of previous journalists' tournaments. Following two games, the experienced player once again demonstrated his high level of skill by emerging victorious.

The tournament's chief arbiter was Ulker Umudova, while the opening and award ceremonies were hosted by renowned sports commentator Syanan Shafizade, who helped create a warm and festive atmosphere.

During the award ceremony, Gabil Mekhtiyev, Head of the Public Relations Department of the Azerbaijan Ministry of Youth and Sports, and Faig Hasanov, First Vice President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation, congratulated the winners, runners-up, and all media representatives on the upcoming National Press Day. They emphasized the important role of chess in intellectual development, noting that the game fosters logical thinking, analytical skills, composure, and the ability to make well-considered decisions—qualities that are especially valuable in the profession of journalism. The winners and prize-winners were presented with valuable awards.

The tournament once again demonstrated that journalists are united not only by their commitment to timely and objective reporting, but also by their passion for intellectual sport, where every game becomes a true test of character, resilience, and mastery.