Ashgabat is hosting the Turkmenistan Federation Cup chess tournament, which has brought together 285 chess players from all over the country.The competition is held in two categories: for players with a FIDE rating of over 1700 points and for those who have not yet reached this level.
The tournament is of particular importance, as its winners will gain the right to participate in the Higher League of the 2025 Turkmenistan Championship.
The tournament includes 11 rounds with classical time control, as well as additional competitions in rapid and blitz chess, which will be held on October 9 and 10.Among the favorites in the A category are FIDE Master Mergen Kakabaev and members of the national men's team Amanmukhammet Khommadov and Allayar Shirliev.
Of particular interest is the participation of all five members of the women's team of Turkmenistan, who recently won small gold medals at the World Chess Olympiad.
Chairman of the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan Vepa Myalikgulyev stressed the importance of regular participation in competitions to improve the skills of chess players. Over the past year, 130 chess tournaments with calculation of the international FIDE rating were held in the country, which indicates the active development of chess in Turkmenistan.
The Federation Cup tournament is being held for the second time and attracts participants from different regions of the country. The age range of participants varies from 6 to 61 years old, which creates a unique opportunity for young chess players to gain valuable experience in playing with more experienced opponents.
The successes of Turkmen chess players in the international arena, including the recent victories of the men's and women's teams at the World Chess Olympiad, confirm the effectiveness of the strategy for the development of chess in the country.
The current Federation Cup tournament is an important stage in preparation for future international competitions and contributes to the further growth of the popularity of chess in Turkmenistan.