The Second League of Turkmenistan’s 2026 Chess Championship Has Concluded
From October 5 to 9, qualifying tournaments for the Second League of the 2026 Turkmenistan Chess Championship were held in Ashgabat, Dashoguz, Turkmenabat, and Mary. The competitions set an all-time participation record, with 401 chess players taking part simultaneously, including 130 girls and women.
The Second League was established by the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan in 2023. Its primary goal is to give young chess players from all regions of the country an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities in official competitions and open a path to the First League and subsequently the country’s Premier League. Over four years, the number of participants increased by 23%, while the number of female chess players grew by nearly 30%. All games were played under the Swiss system over nine rounds, with time controls in accordance with FIDE rules and international rating calculations. FIDE arbiter Mergen Kakabayev served as the chief arbiter of the tournament.
Regional competition results
Ashgabat (143 participants): In the open category, all podium places were claimed by students of the capital’s specialized chess and draughts school. First place went to 16-year-old Suleyman Bayrambayev with 8 points, followed by Alikhan Gubatayev with 7.5 points and Serdar Ykhlasov with 7 points.
In the women’s tournament, 13-year-old Amina Kadyrova took first place with 8 points. The silver medal went to Oguljeren Saparova, representing Ahal Velayat.
Mary Velayat (102 participants): Sixteen-year-old Aynur Batyrova emerged as the undisputed champion, winning all nine of her games. This was the only perfect score achieved in the entire 2026 Second League. In the open tournament, 15-year-old Ahmet Artykov claimed victory with 8 points.
Lebap Velayat (116 participants): The region’s strongest players were 13-year-old Didar Baltayev, who scored 7.5 points, and 15-year-old Nurana Jumaniyazova, who earned 8.5 points.
Dashoguz Velayat (40 participants): Gold medals were won by 12-year-olds Salyh Annageldiyev and Sahra Saparmyradova. One of the tournament’s highlights was the performance of 12-year-old Dilber Khupbyeva, who chose to compete in the open category alongside boys and secured second place.
Plans and future prospects
At each regional qualifying stage, the top 10 players in both the open and women’s categories, as well as the 10 best representatives from Ahal and Balkan velayats and the city of Arkadag, qualify for the First League of the Turkmenistan Championship. In addition, starting next season, the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan plans to hold a separate Second League stage in Balkan Velayat for the first time in the competition’s history.
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