BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 9. The Chess World Cup sees fierce competition, as First Vice President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation Faig Hasanov told Trend on the tournament sidelines.
"The tournament is extremely well-organized. We have extensive expertise staging important competitions like as championships, cups, Olympics, and Grand Prix events. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) always chose our country with delight, seeking for big events to be held in Azerbaijan since we have constantly demonstrated our ability to organize the world's top tournaments, such as the 2016 Chess Olympiad. "It was universally recognized as an unprecedented event in chess history," he remarked.
"The same can be said for the World Cup." "The atmosphere is pleasant, the ambiance is excellent, and all participants are pleased," the official stated.
He emphasized that President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev pays a lot of attention to the development of this sport in the country.
"The State Program for the Development of Chess in Azerbaijan for 2009-2014 was adopted. Nowhere else has there been such attention to chess from the country's leadership. That's why FIDE always cites Azerbaijan as an example of a country doing so much for chess development," Hasanov added.
According to him, Azerbaijan's hosting a tournament of such a level as the World Cup will further contribute to the development of chess.
"FIDE competitions are important for the country because they play a significant role in chess development." Consider how many fans attend, how many youngsters attend, and how they follow the tournament. The World Cup has brought together the world's best chess players, and they may see them directly," the official concluded.
The FIDE Chess World Cup in Baku began with 206 chess players in the open section and 103 in the women's section.
The competitions will be held until August 25.