"It is certainly a tournament where any player can beat the other one, as you play just the two games, so any mistakes can be deadly," Radjabov explained.

He won the 2019 FIDE World Cup when he defeated China's Ding Liren, now world champion, in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia.

Ding has elected not to play here, but the field does include world number one Magnus Carlsen of Norway, the dominant figure in chess for much of the last decade but never a winner at the FIDE World Cup.

"With or without Carlsen it is a hard thing to succeed in," Radjabov continued.

The competition is scheduled to run until August 24, which makes it a marathon for the players.

"The hardest thing is to compete for the whole month, but I am pleased to stay in my country," Radjabov admitted.

"I am happy to be here and hope to go as far as possible, I missed the feeling of being a superstar in Azerbaijan."

Radjabov leads the largest contingent from Azerbaijan to feature at a FIDE World Cup, with 13 men and five women set to compete.

They include Gunay Mammadzada, ranked 26 in the world. 

Her ranking earns her a bye to the second round.

"This tournament is a festivity for me, and I will do my best to make it to the final," Mammadzada said 

"I also hope it encourages many more young players to compete in the future." 

The men's FIDE World Cup was introduced in 2005. 

Armenian born Levon Aronian, now competing for the United States, won the inaugural tournament.

In 2017, Aronian became the first man to win the competition twice.

"I certainly understand it is possible to win it for a second time, but I will not reveal the time and location I will strike," Radjabov revealed.

He is currently number 12 in the world and is one of 50 top seeds to receive first round byes.

He joins the competition in the second round on August 2.