All participants for the Round of 16 in the Azerbaijan Chess Championship have been determined following tie-break matches. Top players including Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and last year's champion Rauf Mammadov are set to compete in high-profile encounters. Women chess players will join the tournament starting from this stage.
The Azerbaijan Chess Championship has progressed to the Round of 16, with participants confirmed after several tie-break matches. Nijat Abasov, Khagan Ahmad, Rahim Gasimov, Kamal Aghasiyev, Pasha Alizada, and Ravan Aliyev advanced by winning their respective tie-breaks, according to AzerNEWS.
The upcoming round features notable matchups. Murad Ibrahimli will face the tournament's top-rated favorite, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Ahmad Ahmadzada is scheduled to play Vugar Rasulov, while Nicat Abasov will compete against Khagan Ahmad. Rahim Gasimov meets Aydin Suleymanli, and last year's national champion, Rauf Mammadov, will battle Shiroglan Talibov. Additional pairings include Pasha Alizada versus Read Samadov, Ravan Aliyev against Mahammad Muradli, and Eltaj Safarli taking on Kamal Aghasiyev.
Starting with the Round of 16, women chess players will participate, bringing added intrigue to the competition. Games are set to begin daily at 15:00, with the championship concluding on February 22.
The event is organized by the Azerbaijan Chess Federation (ACF), founded in 1926. The ACF has been instrumental in developing Azerbaijan's chess tradition through national and international tournaments, training programs, and support for players from school children to grandmasters. Azerbaijan's national teams have achieved consistent success in events like the Chess Olympiad and the World Chess Championship.