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Laman Ismayilova

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The 45th Chess Olympiad has wrapped up in Budapest, Hungary, Azernews reports.

The competition gathered record-breaking 197 teams in the Open section and 184 squads in the women's competition.

It was the first Chess Olympiad to take place in Hungary after Budapest hosted the 2nd unofficial Chess Olympiad in 1926.

The Azerbaijani men's squad comprised of Shahriyar Mammadyarov, Rauf Mammadov, Nijat Abasov, Aydin Suleymanli, and Mahammad Muradli.

The women's squad included Gunay Mammadzade, Govhar Beydullayeva, Khanim Balajayeva, Ulviyya Fataliyeva, and Gulnar Mammadova.

The men's chess team ranked 8th with 16 points after 11 rounds. Women's team finished 15th, ending with 7 victories, 2 defeats and 2 draws.

The 95th FIDE Congress also took place during the Olympiad. The meeting proposed the establishment of a special body to enhance cooperation and connections among Turkic-speaking countries in the field of chess.

During her speech, Secretary-General of Azerbaijan Chess Federation Ilaha Gadimova emphasized the importance of creating a joint association for Turkic-speaking countries and provided information about the main objectives of the future organization.

The proposal, put to a vote at FIDE's General Assembly, was unanimously accepted. Thus, the Turkic States Chess Association has been established.

The initial members of the association include Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan.

At the end of the meeting, FIDE President Arkadi Dvorkovich met with the heads of chess federations from the member states of the Turkic States Chess Association.

In the coming days, the association's charter will be approved. The leadership of the organization will be elected for a two-year term and will operate on a rotational basis.

The primary goal is to expand cooperation in chess among Turkic-speaking countries and to regularly implement various joint projects.

Within FIDE, there are already chess organizations from Latin American countries, Arab states, and Francophone countries.

Chess for centuries has been a popular game in Azerbaijan with ancient roots closely related to traditions. The country could preserve these traditions as the chess remains to be a crucially popular sports for now.

The first references to chess in Azerbaijan can be found in the works of 12th century such great poets as Khaqani and Nizami as well as in the works of one of the nation`s most respected literary personalities Fuzuli.

Founded in 1920, Azerbaijan Chess Federation further enhanced the development of chess sport in the country.

To popularize this original game Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, who is also the chairman of the National Olympic Committee, signed in 2009 an executive order initiating a state-supported chess development program, covering the years 2009-2014.

The 42nd Chess Olympiad, held in Baku, is indeed an excellent example of great attention paid to the development of chess game in the country.

The large-scale event attracted a total of 1,587 participants, including 894 in the Open category and 693 in the Women's event, making the Baku Chess Olympiad a significant event.

Similarly, the FIDE World Chess Cup 2023 in Baku captivated chess fans with its high-calibre competition and exhilarating matches.

Featuring a highly competitive lineup, the World Cup provided an exciting venue to display the remarkable skill and strategic finesse of elite chess players.

Approximately 206 competitors participated in the open section, along with 103 players in the women's competition.

The national chess players have always been taking high places at top-ranked tournaments.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr

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