The opening ceremony of the Azerbaijan Chess Championship was held in Baku.
The National Anthem was first performed. Then, a video featuring the memorable moments of last year's competition was screened.
Addressing the event, President of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation Mahir Mammadov noted that the popularity of chess in the country has increased and that such domestic championships are of great importance for discovering young talents.
Minister of Youth and Sports Farid Gayibov underlined that the level of Azerbaijani championships has increased. The Minister noted that progress has been made in the Azerbaijan Chess Federation, thanks to which a large number of young people are engaged in chess.
The championship, which will run until February 22, gathered 46 chess players.
