FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich attended the closing ceremony of the 2026 Baku Open. He met with regional officials and federation leaders to discuss the growth of the game in the South Caucasus
The Baku Open – which established itself as one of the premier chess events in the Caucuses region – attracted nearly 900 players from 13 federations. The top Grandmaster tournament was won by GM Movahed Sina from Iran.
FIDE President Dvorkovich held talks with presidents of chess federations of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Spain, and Türkiye. He also met with European Chess Union President Zurab Azmaiparashvili and Secretary General of the FIDE Management Board, Łukasz Turlej. The meetings focused on upcoming international events and existing projects aimed at the promotion of chess in the region and globally.
The FIDE President also met with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Sport, Farid Gayibov, and the deputy minister of science and education to discuss the greater integration of chess into society and education.
In his remarks, Farid Gayibov emphasized Azerbaijan’s rich chess traditions and noted the contribution of the Azerbaijan Chess Federation to the development of the sport. The minister also stated that the support for sport provided by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev helps ensure that international competitions are held at a high level.
“Azerbaijan has long supported chess through state programs, hosting major events such as the 2016 Olympiad or World Cups. The country remains a vital hub for our sport,” Dvorkovich said.
“Their state support serves as a model for the region. We are working closely with them as well as with regional chess federations to ensure this momentum leads to new projects across the South Caucasus,” he added.
The 2026 edition of Baku Open, the event held since 2023, took place at the Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan, from April 28 to May 6 and boasted a $50,000 prize fund.