The International Rapid Chess and Blitz Tournament Open "Shumen" was officially opened in the packed "Arena Shumen" with the presence of key municipal representatives. The opening ceremony brought together leading figures from local administration and the chess elite.

Mayor Prof. Hristo Hristov delivered an emotional speech, emphasizing the significance of chess for the municipality. "Chess is not just a sport, but a space for the meeting of minds and characters," he stated, demonstrating deep respect for the intellectual competition.

International Master Atanas Dimitrov, tournament director, presented a special plaque to Prof. Hristov in recognition of his overall contribution to chess development in the city. This gesture symbolizes the strong support of local authorities for intellectual sports.

The competition is shaping up to be extremely large-scale - a total of 175 competitors will participate in the 11-round rapid tournament, while the blitz competition will include 9 rounds. The total prize fund amounts to an impressive 10,000 leva, which attracts the attention of leading Bulgarian chess players.

Among the most prominent participants are Grandmaster Kiril Georgiev - leading in rating, International Master Tsvetan Stoyanov - winner in the 2024 rapid category, and Grandmaster Martin Petrov, who is defending his title in the blitz competition.

The technical details of the tournament include the ability to follow games from the first ten boards online through the chess.com platform, which expands the access of chess enthusiasts to the event.

Chief Referee Nikolay Todorov emphasized the precise organization and high standards of the competition, which is becoming a traditional event for the city of Shumen. The sixth consecutive edition confirms the city's reputation as a significant center for intellectual sports.

The municipality has decisively demonstrated its commitment to continue supporting the Shumen Chess Sports Club, thereby investing in the development of young talents and the intellectual growth of the local community.