Details added (first version posted on 16:07)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.2
Trend:
The first round of the 42nd World Chess Olympiad kicked off at Baku Crystal Hall Sept.2.
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev took part in the event.
President Aliyev first met with President of World Chess Federation (FIDE) Kirsan Ilyumzhinov.
The 42nd World Chess Olympiad in Baku is the largest scale competition held in Azerbaijan ever. Over 1,600 members of 181 men’s and 142 women’s teams representing 175 countries, hundreds of team captains and coaches and other officials are participating in the Olympiad.
This is the record high in the history of Olympiad in terms of the number of participating countries. Thirty judges from Azerbaijan have been involved to manage the competition.
President Aliyev made the first move (D2-D4) in the game between the member of Azerbaijan’s first men’s team Shahriyar Mammadyarov and Zimbabwe chess player Rodwell Makoto.
Azerbaijan is represented in the Olympiad by three men’s and three women’s teams. The “Azerbaijan-1”, “Azerbaijan-2” and “Azerbaijan-3” teams consisting of men will compete with the teams from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Papua New Guinea, respectively. This is while the “Azerbaijan-1”, “Azerbaijan-2” and “Azerbaijan-3” teams consisting of women will compete with the teams from Nicaragua, Japan and Lesotho, respectively.
President Ilham Aliyev reviewed the hall where the competitions are held and watched the game of the chess players.
President Aliyev made the first move (E2-E4) in the game between Alexandra Kosteniuk from Russia and Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant from Scotland in the competition of female chess players.
The president also watched the competition of disabled chess players.
Then, President Aliyev reviewed the conditions created at the arena.
All necessary steps have been taken to hold the Chess Olympiad, one of the world’s main sports events, in Azerbaijan at a high level. Baku Crystal Hall has been fully prepared for hosting this important competition. Great work has been carried out to ensure the comfort of athletes and delegations there. Around 500 volunteers have been involved in the organizational work.
The World Chess Olympiad is in the spotlight of the world. The registration of over 250 local and foreign media representatives to cover the competitions proves this once again.
The competitions, which consist of 11 rounds, will end Sept.13. Aside from the Olympiad, Baku will host the 87th FIDE Congress and FIDE General Assembly’s meetings on Sept.4-13.
