BAKU, September 11
Baku will host the Azerbaijan Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships from Dec. 4–8, the Azerbaijan Chess Federation announced. The event will be played under a nine-round Swiss system.
Entry criteria: Men with a FIDE rating of 2100+ and women with 2000+—in classical, rapid, or blitz—are eligible to compete. Organizers reserve the right to adjust the format and number of rounds depending on entries.
Prize fund: 10,000 AZN in total, with 6,000 AZN allocated to the men’s events and 4,000 AZN to the women’s.
What’s at stake: The top three finishers will earn selection for the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Qatar.
The championship is expected to draw a strong domestic field and will serve as the final springboard for Azerbaijan’s representatives on the world stage.
