55 chess players are taking part in the 6th Karen Asryan Memorial in the Armenian resort town of Jermuk.

25 participants, including Armenian GMs Hrant Melkumyan, Robert Hovhannisyan, Samvel Ter-Sahakyan, Hovhannes Gabuzyan , Artashes Minasyan and others, won their first round games.

Karen Asryan, the champion of 2006 Chess Olympiad, died of stroke at the age of 28 in 2008. The Chess Giants tournament, which was stopped over his death, was later named after him.