International chess Grandmaster Vasif Durarbayli was on hand May 20 at the Coronado Public Library for the fifth annual San Diego-Azerbaijan Youth Chess Tournament.
The event attracted players between 8 and 18, and the library teamed with Global Neighborhood Project, which is developing cultural and educational partnerships in several countries.
Durarbayli, who is a native of the country of Azerbaijan, shared tips and knowledge on how to improve in chess.
He currently lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and at the end of the event he presented certificates.
Elite distinction
To become a grandmaster of chess a person must earn that designation from the International Chess Federation
Currently, there are only 1,721 people worldwide who have that distinction.
Durarbayli, who started playing chess at the age of 6, became an international master at the age of 15 in 2007, and three years later became a grandmaster.
Learning about Azerbaijan
The youth also learned about Azerbaijan by seeing pictures and hearing information about the country, which is in southwestern Asia.
The country has a very rich and fantastic culture according to Lee Wakefield, who is part of the Global Neighborhood project.
He added most people don’t even know where the country is despite being one of the leading oil and gas producing countries in the world.
