ASTANA – Kazakh chess players won a record 160 medals including 55 gold, 54 silver, and 51 bronze last year at official international tournaments of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the Asian Chess Federation (ACF), reported the Kazakhstan chess federation.
Photo credit: kazchess.kz
One of the year’s highlights was the women’s national team’s silver medal at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, where the team, averaging 18.5 years, won the second place.
National team leader Bibisara Assaubayeva confirmed her skill by taking second place at the 2024/25 Women’s Grand Prix in Tbilisi and third in Shymkent. She now leads the overall standings and based on the results of the two stages, the top two players qualify for the World Championship Candidates Tournament.
Kazybek Nogerbek. Photo credit: kazchess.kz
Juniors have achieved record success at the World Classical Chess Championships, winning eight medals. Gold awards were brought by Kazybek Nogerbek (U20), Mark Smirnov (U12) and Alanna Berikkyzy (U10). Silver medals were won by Khanzada Amanzhol (U12), Edgar Mamedov (U14), Aldiyar Ansat (U18) and Amina Kairbekova (U18). The bronze medal went to Sauat Nurgaliyev (U14).
The press service of the Kazakhstan chess federation noted that these achievements were supported by two grant programs—Support for the National Team and Support for Young Talents—totaling almost 1 billion tenge (US$1.9 million) this year.
“This is the result of the hard work of the team of the Kazakhstan chess federation and the support of the country’s leadership and the President personally,” said President of the Kazakhstan chess federation Timur Turlov.
