ASTANA – Kazakh chess player Bibisara Assaubayeva has risen to seventh place in the FIDE world rankings following the 2026 Candidates Tournament, held from March 28 to April 16 in Paphos, Cyprus.
Bibisara Assaubayeva. Photo credit:
Assaubayeva now holds a rating of 2527.2, gaining 11.2 points after the event. The top three positions remain dominated by Chinese players: Hou Yifan (2596.0), Lei Tingjie (2566.0), and Ju Wenjun (2559.0).
Under tournament regulations at the FIDE Candidates Tournament, Assaubayeva will receive €17,000 for her final placement. Players also earn €2,200 for each half-point scored. With a total of eight points, she earned an additional €17,600, bringing her total prize money to €34,600 (US$40,681).
Notably, this marks the first time a player from Kazakhstan has qualified for the Candidates Tournament, which is held every two years and brings together the world’s strongest chess players.
