The Qazaq Queens Chess Fest 2026, a dynamic blitz tournament dedicated to International Women’s Day, took place in Almaty. The competition was held on March 6 at Narxoz Chess Club and brought together 45 female chess players, DKNews.kz reports.
The tournament was organized by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation (KazChess) with the support of the FIDE Women’s Commission. The event became part of an international initiative aimed at promoting women’s chess.
Two categories of participants
The players were divided into two groups.
Tournament A featured women leaders and entrepreneurs, while Tournament B was open to university students.
In total, the competition included:
- 16 players in Category A
- 29 players in Category B
All games were played under the Swiss system over seven rounds with a time control of 5+3.
Who won the tournament
The fight for first place in Category A turned out to be particularly intense. Three participants scored 6 points out of a possible 7.
The winner was Aisezim Yeleusinova, a former member of Kazakhstan’s women’s national team at the 2016 World Chess Olympiad in Baku. The 28-year-old chess player is currently engaged in business.
The final standings were as follows:
- 1st place — Aisezim Yeleusinova
- 2nd place — Dilyara Gabitova (rating 1810)
- 3rd place — Women’s International Master Alfiya Nasybullina (1913)
Prize places were determined using tie-break criteria, including the cut Buchholz coefficient and head-to-head results.
Intense competition among students
Category B also saw a closely contested battle. WFM Aidana Madi and WCM Assel Lesbekova each scored 6 points.
A victory in their head-to-head game allowed 18-year-old Aidana Madi to take first place.
The final top three were:
- 1st place — Aidana Madi
- 2nd place — Assel Lesbekova
- 3rd place — WIM Ayaulum Kaldarova
Ayaulum Kaldarova scored half a point fewer than the leaders and finished third in the standings.
Tournament prize fund
The total prize fund amounted to 1.5 million tenge.
In Category A, prizes were distributed as follows:
- 1st place — 350,000 tenge
- 2nd place — 250,000 tenge
- 3rd place — 150,000 tenge
- 4th place — 100,000 tenge
- 5th place — 50,000 tenge
In Category B:
- 1st place — 200,000 tenge
- 2nd place — 150,000 tenge
- 3rd place — 125,000 tenge
- 4th place — 75,000 tenge
- 5th place — 50,000 tenge
Part of a global FIDE initiative
The Kazakhstan Chess Federation has been organizing the Qazaq Queens Chess Fest for the second consecutive year in March to highlight the role of women in chess.
In 2026, the tournament became part of the global campaign of the FIDE Women’s Commission — Chess Women’s Day Celebration: Visible, Connected, Worldwide.
The initiative runs throughout March and brings together various events dedicated to women and girls in chess.
Within this program, the following activities are held worldwide:
- tournaments
- master classes
- educational seminars
- meetings and discussions
The main goal of the initiative is to make women’s achievements in chess more visible, strengthen international connections between chess communities, and inspire a new generation of players.
The Qazaq Queens Chess Fest in Almaty has become a notable part of this global program.
