A second grandmaster norm is secured.
Kazakhstan’s 15-year-old International Master Sauat Nurgaliyev finished second at the XXVII Open Internacional de Sants – Ciutat de Barcelona in Spain and earned his second grandmaster norm, according to the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, DKNews.kz reports.
The result marks another major step for one of Kazakhstan’s leading young chess players, who will soon represent the country at the 46th World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand.
Nurgaliyev scores 8.5 points from 10
After 10 rounds, Nurgaliyev collected 8.5 points from a possible 10.
His tournament record included:
- eight victories;
- one draw;
- one defeat.
His only loss came against French Grandmaster Jules Moussard, who went on to win the tournament. Nurgaliyev ultimately finished second.
The Barcelona result is particularly important because the 15-year-old completed his second grandmaster norm. Nurgaliyev currently holds the International Master title.
The young player has already established himself at senior level in Kazakhstan. Earlier this year, he won the country’s adult national championship.
359 chess players competed in Barcelona
The XXVII Open Internacional de Sants – Ciutat de Barcelona was held from August 21 to 30.
The competition was played over 10 rounds under the Swiss system with classical time control.
The field brought together 359 players from more than 50 countries, including:
- 16 grandmasters;
- 35 international masters;
- three women grandmasters.
Against this field, Nurgaliyev scored 85% of the maximum possible points.
The tournament is also part of the FIDE Circuit 2026–2027, making the competition relevant beyond its final standings. The circuit is one of the qualification pathways in the cycle leading toward the 2028 World Chess Championship.
Other young Kazakh players also impressed
Nurgaliyev was not the only representative of Kazakhstan’s younger generation to produce a strong result in Barcelona.
Sixteen-year-old Malika Dzhapparbekova scored 6.5 points and finished second among women. She was behind US Grandmaster Irina Krush.
Dzhapparbekova also fulfilled Woman International Master norms.
Ten-year-old FIDE Candidate Master Amirzhan Anetov scored 6.5 points at the same tournament.
The results are notable because all three Kazakh players competed in a large international field that included dozens of titled players.
Nurgaliyev now heads to the World Chess Olympiad
Nurgaliyev’s next major challenge will come with the Kazakhstan national team.
The 15-year-old is part of the squad for the 46th World Chess Olympiad, scheduled to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 15 to 27.
Kazakhstan has already announced its lineup for the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, where around 400 teams are expected to compete in the Open and Women’s sections.
Nurgaliyev’s Barcelona performance gives him another strong classical result immediately before the team competition — eight wins, 8.5 points and a second grandmaster norm at the age of 15.
Earlier, we also covered how Kazakhstan’s young chess players challenged a World Team, with Sauat Nurgaliyev among the key performers.
