Batyr Chess Invitational begins

Today marks the beginning of the Batyr Chess Invitational, an international online-based chess tournament to be hosted and organised by the Hasani capital Batyr. The event, the first sporting competition of Hasanistan held since 2014, will be held on the chess service website "Chess.com". The event has been started to increase cultural activities with Hasanistan's allies and promote the city of Batyr.

The invitational will be within a knockout format. The competition has 6 competitors: Hasan Çakar (Hasanistan), Tablekitten (Blepia), Natsuki Hegro (Japan), Emiel Hardy (Mahuset), Nino (Altenbürg) and Chase Mahoning (Brennonia). The first round begins with Çakar facing Mahoning, Tablekitten facing Hardy and Hegro facing Nino. However, due to the irregularly number of competitors for a knockout tournament, one of the losing competitors in the first round will be given a second chance as a wild card. At the end of the tournament, a final and a third-place playoff will be held.

The Hasanistani government has high hopes for this tournament, hoping it will gather more interest in the nation and help revive the nation's athletic culture to its former glory. It has hinted that the tournament may become an annual event if this year's iteration is successful.