After the demonstration of the video dedicated to Vugar Hashimov, the minister of youth and sports Farid Gayibov greeted everyone at the competition, which has become a tradition.

He said that we can talk a lot about Azerbaijani chess. The main thing is that our results continue. The followers of our well-known chess players have already grown up. Young people return from tournaments with gold medals. Chess competitions also take place in our country. There were international tournaments in Nakhchivan and Shusha. Great work is being done to develop this type of sport in our country.

Saying that the club” Vugar Hashimov " was founded for four years, F. Gayibov said with great pleasure that the team has already won medals at prestigious competitions. The minister thanked Vugar Hashimov's family for their great service to the development and popularization of sports in the country.

Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the tournament, Vugar Hashimov's father Gasim Hashimov thanked the guests and participants. He noted that we are celebrating the eighth tournament together. This year, when forming the staff, we made certain changes. 4 young chess players were invited to the tournament, of which 2 are local grandmasters. Others are Indian Gukesh D and Uzbek Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Both are strong chess players. I congratulate and greet Abdusattorov for his achievements this year. This year we created conditions for young athletes to show themselves. Vugar also managed to show himself in his young and teenage years.

“On behalf of our family, I express my gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev. At the meeting with the president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Arkady Dvorkovich, the head of state spoke about the importance of the "Vugar Hashimov Memorial". I wish success to all the chess players in the competition," Gasim Hashimov added.

The main referee of the tournament Lutfiyar Rustamov informed about the rules of the competition.

Then the draw was drawn.

According to the draw, Abdulla Gadimbayli and Rauf Mammadov, Chinese Wang Hao and Shahriyar Mammadyarov, Samuel Shankland (USA) and Aydin Suleymanli, Uzbek Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Spanish Valeho Pons, Romanian Richard Rapport and Indian Gukesh D. met with each other in the first round.

The first move in the first round was made by Vugar Hashimov's father, chairman of the Organizing Committee of the tournament Gasim Hashimov in the game of Wang Hao and Shahriyar Mammadyarov.