The traditional 5th Chess Super Tournament to be held in the memorial of the prominent Azerbaijani grandmaster, European Champion, late Vugar Hashimov. On this occasion, top 10 leading grandmasters on FIDE rating will compete in the category 21st tournament to the honour of Vugar Hashimov, supported by the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic, The Ministry of the Youth and Sports of the Azerbaijan Republic, with the fellowship of the Synergy Group. 

The organisation committee has already determined the list of the players. The reigning world champion, the two-time winner of the ShamkirChess Tournamnet, holding the 1st place on the FIDE rating, Magnus Carlsen (Norway, 2843), the former world champion Vladimir Kramnik (Russia, 2792, 4th place on the FIDE rating), the participant of the last Candidates Tournament, Chinese Ding Liren (2778, 8th place on the FIDE rating), the winner of the World Cup,the participan of the Chess Crown Game, Sergey Kariakin (Russia, 2778, 9th place on the FIDE rating), the lider of the Netherlands Chess, Anish Giri (2777, 10th place on the FIDE rating), world champion on the FIDE version, Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria, 2749), Czech David Navara (2745) will participate in the Super Tournament. 

Azerbaijan will be represented by the two-time winner of the ShamkirChess Super Tournament, three-time Europe champion, being in 2nd place on the FIDE rating, Shahriyar Mammadyarov (2814), the three-time Europe champion, the bronze üinner of the World Championship, Teimur Radjabov (2748), and the three-time Europe champion, the Europe champion on Blitz Chess, Rauf Mammadov (2704).     

The top rating favourite of the Super Tournament category 21st will be the Norwegian chess player Magnus Carlsen. The reigning World Champion is in the 1st place on the International Chess Federation rating list with 2843 scores. 

The Gala Opening Ceremony of the ShamkirChess 2018 Tournament in the memorial of Vugar Hashimov will be on April 18th at the Center named after Heydar Aliyev. The Competition consisting of 9 stages will end up on April 28th. 

We should note that the winner of the tournament has been the World Champion, Magnus Carlsen (Norway) in 2014 and 2015. The Azerbaijani grandmaster, Shahriyar Mammadyarov was in the 1st place in the last two years. 

Press Service of the ShamkirChess Tournament