The opening ceremony of the Quba Open 2026 International Chess Festival has been held in Quba, Idman.Biz reports.
The tournament, being staged for the second time, is jointly organised by Azerbaijan's Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Azerbaijan Chess Federation (ACF) and the White Rook Chess Club.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Azerbaijan Chess Federation President and International Chess Federation (FIDE) Vice-President Mahir Mammadov highlighted the important role of regional tournaments in promoting chess and increasing participation across the country.
Mammadov noted that the Quba Open International Chess Festival is an important part of the Azerbaijan Chess Tour.
The tournament is dedicated to the memory of international arbiter Gudrat Ismayilov, who made an outstanding contribution to the development of chess traditions and the establishment of the Quba chess school.
More than 300 chess players from 11 countries are taking part in the competition, which has a total prize fund of 24,420 manats.
