“The upcoming Azerbaijani Championship is creating a lot of excitement,” says Fikret Sideifzade, an Honored Chess Coach, in an exclusive interview with Idman.biz.
As the championship is set to begin tomorrow, the experienced coach shared his thoughts on the event. He highlighted that this year’s tournament stands out from previous ones in several ways: “The strongest players in Azerbaijan will participate. Additionally, the championship has a high prize fund, something we haven't seen in similar events before. We can expect an exciting competition, both among the men and women. Since the tournament follows the Olympic system, losing players will be eliminated, adding more intrigue to the matches. I don't remember when Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Teymur Rajabov last competed in the Azerbaijani Championship, but we are all eagerly awaiting how the competition will unfold. The results are of great interest to all of us. The team for the European Championship will also be decided through this tournament. That’s why we’ll be watching it with great anticipation.”
The tournament will continue until February 15. The men’s championship will feature 26 top players competing in the Olympic system, while 16 female chess players are expected to take part in the women’s event.
The total prize fund for the competition is 90,000 manats, with 60,000 manats for the men’s competition and 30,000 manats for the women’s.
Idman.biz
