The international KazChess Masters Almaty 2026 tournament has officially begun at the Debut by Chess Empire Chess Club in Almaty, bringing together some of the strongest chess players from Kazakhstan and abroad, DKNews.kz reports.
Ten players are competing in the tournament, with five international grandmasters facing five representatives of Kazakhstan, including two grandmasters and three international masters.
With an average rating of 2569, the event has been classified as a Category XIII tournament, making it one of the strongest chess competitions held in the region this year.
Chess Olympiad Adds Extra Significance
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Kazakhstan Chess Federation Vice President Biket Zharokov described 2026 as a landmark year for the sport.
«The Kazakhstan Chess Federation has been paying tremendous attention to chess in recent years, from children's chess to professional competition. A special place in this program is devoted to raising the prestige of chess. That is why tournaments such as KazChess Masters Almaty have become annual events. 2026 is a special year for chess. This year the World Chess Olympiad will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. I believe that even today's tournament is excellent preparation for both foreign and Kazakh grandmasters ahead of that global event.»
KazChess Masters Almaty 2026 is the second tournament in this year's KazChess Masters series, which the Kazakhstan Chess Federation has been organizing for the third consecutive year.
Nine Rounds of Classical Chess
The tournament will be played over nine rounds in a round-robin format.
Players will compete under classical time controls:
- 90 minutes for the first 40 moves
- 30 additional minutes for the remainder of the game
- 30-second increment from move one
The format is expected to produce high-quality games between experienced grandmasters and Kazakhstan's emerging talents.
Grandmasters Expect Fierce Competition
Spanish grandmaster Maxim Chigaev believes this year's field is even stronger than the previous edition.
«I played in the same tournament last November, and the lineup was slightly different. In just seven months, the Kazakh players have improved tremendously, making the field much more competitive. I think everyone will fight until the very last piece and the very last pawn. It will be a very uncompromising tournament. The Kazakh players are a very dangerous force. Last time I managed to beat one of them, while drawing with the others, and several of those draws were very close to becoming losses for me. The competition will be fierce, and there is little point in comparing ratings or deciding who is stronger or weaker.»
Alua Nurman Returns from World Championship Success
International Master Alua Nurman is the only female participant in this year's tournament.
She recently returned from Hong Kong, where she won gold and silver medals on her board at the FIDE World Team Rapid and Blitz Championships.
«I am very happy to participate in this tournament. It is a great experience for me because such a strong field has gathered here. I look forward to showing my best chess and hope the tournament will be exciting. Everyone here is an excellent player, and I am interested in playing against all of them.»
International Stars and Rising Talents
The field features several internationally renowned grandmasters alongside Kazakhstan's brightest young players.
Among the favorites are:
- Alexey Sarana (Serbia), winner of both the Vladimir Dvorkovich Memorial – Aktobe Open 2025 and KazChess Masters 2025
- Igor Kovalenko (Ukraine), two-time Latvian champion and Chess Olympiad participant
- Sam Shankland (United States), one of America's leading grandmasters
- Alexander Donchenko (Germany), winner and medalist at numerous international tournaments
Kazakhstan is represented by a blend of experienced professionals and promising young talents, including:
- Denis Makhnev, leader of Kazakhstan's men's national team
- Grandmaster Kazibek Nogerbek
- International Master Aldiyar Ansat
- Fourteen-year-old Mark Smirnov, the 2025 World U14 Champion
- International Master Alua Nurman
Tournament Participants
The lineup for KazChess Masters Almaty 2026 includes:
- GM Igor Kovalenko (Ukraine, 2672)
- GM Alexey Sarana (Serbia, 2668)
- GM Sam Shankland (United States, 2647)
- GM Maxim Chigaev (Spain, 2644)
- GM Alexander Donchenko (Germany, 2640)
- GM Denis Makhnev (Kazakhstan, 2551)
- GM Kazibek Nogerbek (Kazakhstan, 2513)
- IM Aldiyar Ansat (Kazakhstan, 2485)
- IM Mark Smirnov (Kazakhstan, 2436)
- IM Alua Nurman (Kazakhstan, 2435)
Prize Fund Reaches 25 Million Tenge
The tournament features a guaranteed prize fund of 25 million tenge.
Prize distribution is as follows:
- Champion — 7 million tenge
- Runner-up — 5 million tenge
- Third place — 3.5 million tenge
All ten participants will receive prize money.
The tournament's General Partner is Freedom Holding Corp., with support from The AKAN Building, RAMS, CMK Group, and the Debut by Chess Empire Chess Club.
Why This Matters
KazChess Masters has rapidly established itself as one of the strongest international chess tournaments in Central Asia, attracting elite grandmasters while providing Kazakhstan's rising players with valuable experience against world-class opposition.
With the 2026 FIDE Chess Olympiad approaching, the tournament also serves as an important competitive test for many participants, while reinforcing Kazakhstan's growing reputation as a major host of international chess events.
