Continental Asian Chess Championship has begun in Almaty

Ceremonial Move of the Asian Women Chess Championship 2023 by, Mr. Timur Turlov President of Kazakhstan Chess Federation and Mr. Hisham Al Taher General Secretary of Asian Chess Federation and Mr. Marat Sultangaziyev Governor of Almaty Province and Mr. Mahdi Abdulrahim Chief Arbiter

05/06/2023, Almaty. The Continental Asian Chess Championship has started in the Baluan Sholak Palace of Sports, Almaty. In total, 128 chess players from 18 countries will take part in the tournament.

Today, the Regional Communications Service of the City of Almaty hosted a press conference of the championship organisers. According to Timur Turlov, a president of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation (KCF), Kazakhstan faces a rapid development of chess thanks to the support of the head of state. He said that at this championship, our players have an opportunity play with famous grandmasters from other countries. Timur Turlov thanked the Asian Chess Federation (ACF), FIDE, the city akimat represented by Yerbolat Dosayev, the Akim of Almaty, and many others for supporting in organising this event.

Asian Chess Federation General Secretary Hisham Al Taher said that the Asian Continental Chess Championship is the most important and significant tournament among more than 200 events held by ACF. “I would like to thank Timur Turblov and the akim of the City of Almaty personally for the support and high level of organisation of the tournament,” he said. Hisham Al Taher recalled that the winners (including four finalists of the Open Championship and two finalists of the Women’s Championship) shall take part in the Fide World Cup 2023, which shall be held in Baku in the second half of the summer. The winners of the Cup will have an opportunity to participate in the tournament of
applicants and then in the match for the chess crown.

According to S. P. Sethuraman, a famous Indian chess grandmaster, a winner of the Asian Chess Championship 2016, the Almaty tournament has gathered a very strong team of chess players and he is expecting an intense interesting struggle.

Gulmira Dauletova, the Executive Director of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, said that on Saturday, the Kazakhstani players Ksenia Balabayeva and Arystan Isanzhulov won clear first at the Asian Continental Blitz Chess Championship 2023. According to the Sunday’s results, Kazakhstani payers Rinat Zhumabayev, Murtas Doshaleev, Denis Makhnev, Kazybek Nogerbek and others won confident victories in classical chess. We are very pleased with the victories of Arnash Bauyrzhan, Liya Kurmangaliyeva, Ksenia Balabayeva, Amina Kairbekova among other chess players.

The foreign chess players, including S. P. Sethuraman (India), Shamsutdin Vakhidov (Uzbekistan) and Daneshvar Bardia (Iran) held notable exciting games.

Darman Sadvakasov, the KCF first Vice President and ACF Vice President of ACF shared plans for the development of chess in Kazakhstan. He stated that by 2027, over 20% of primary school students shall attend chess classes,and at least 200 new chess clubs shall be opened in education institutions.

One of the main KCF goals is to see the national chess team and Kazakhstani chess players in the world TOP-10. The Kazakhstan Chess Federation pays particular attention to the training and advanced education of chess teachers, holdong international tournaments and other activities to promote chess in Kazakhstan.

The Continental Asian Chess Championship is held in the Baluan Sholak Palace of Sports, Almaty, until 11 June 2023. The tournament prize fund is $100,000. Competitions consist of the Open Men’s Championship and the Women’s Championship. It is a Swiss-system tournament with 9 rounds, holding in accordance with the FIDE regulations.

The tournament organisers are the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, ACF, KCF with the support of the Akimat of Almaty City. The general partner of the tournament is Freedom Holding Corp.

– Kazakhstan Chess Federation Press Release