The Sheki Open International Chess Festival continues in full swing in the city of Sheki, Azerbaijan.
The tournament has drawn 260 participants from 9 countries, competing across A and B categories, Idman.biz reports.
After three rounds, Azerbaijani International Master Vugar Manafov has emerged as the sole leader, having secured three consecutive victories. A group of six players trail closely behind by just half a point, including tournament top seed Vitaliy Bernadskiy of Ukraine and Azerbaijani contender Khagan Ahmad.
The Sheki Open is part of the Chess Tour Azerbaijan series, organized under the initiative of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation.
The tournament follows a nine-round Swiss format and is set to conclude on June 25.
Idman.biz
