Azernews.Az

By Amina Nazarli

The Azerbaijan Chess Federation has signed agreements with the partner companies of the World Chess Cup 2015 on September 5.

The FIDE Chess World Cup 2015, will bring together 128 of the best chess players from 45 countries to Baku between September 10 and October 5.

Prior to the signing ceremony, the federation vice president and the director of the Organizing Committee of the Baku Chess Olympiad and the World Cup, Mahir Mammadov, informed attendees of the preparations for the event, and spoke of the care and attention to the development of chess in Azerbaijan.

He also highlighted the achievements of Azerbaijani chess players in international tournaments.

Mammadov then signed the agreement with the partner companies.

The Azerbaijani squad will include Teymur Rajabov, Shahriyar Mammadyarov, Rauf Mammadov, Gadir Huseynov, Eltaj Safarli, and Vasif Durarbayli.

The tournament will also be attended by Armenian chess players Levon Aronian, Gabriel Sargissian, Hrant Melkumyan, and Samvel Ter-Sahakyan. In addition two players of Armenian nationality, Samuel Sevian and Varuzhan Akobian, will represent the U.S. at the competition.

“The competition will be held in the Fairmont Hotel and all the participants will stay here. Therefore, the security of the Armenian players will be even more strengthened. It needs no special protection,” he said.

Mammadov also touched upon the participation of the Russian player Garry Kasparov, saying that the federation did not send an invitation to him.

This year’s Chess World Cup has a prize fund of $1.6 million.

Matches consist of two games, except for the final, which consists of four. Players will have 90 minutes for the first 40 moves followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an additional 30 seconds per move from the start of the game. If players reach a draw, tie-breaking games will be played on the next day after the regular games.

The finalists will advance to the 2016 Candidates Tournament to be held in the U.S., which will determine the World Chess Champion.

Meanwhile, the 1st European Deaf Chess Championships for National Deaf Chess Teams in Baku is scheduled for September 27.

Azerbaijan will host the 42nd World Chess Olympiad next year.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli

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