Kazakhstan Senior Team Chess Championship Kicks Off in Kokshetau. Seven teams are competing for the title.
Kokshetau is hosting the Kazakhstan Senior Team Chess Championship, where veteran players from across the country will battle for the strongest regional team through September 8, DKNews.kz reports.
The start of the tournament was announced by the Kazakhstan Chess Federation. Teams from Astana, Almaty, Shymkent, Aktobe Region, Akmola Region and Kokshetau are taking part in the competition.
Seven teams will play seven rounds
The championship features Astana, Astana-2, Almaty, Shymkent, Aktobe Region, Akmola Region and Kokshetau.
The tournament is being played in a seven-round round-robin format from September 2 through September 8. Each team will therefore face its rivals directly, with the standings determined by match results.
A team receives two match points for a win and one point for a draw. If the main indicators are tied, additional criteria will be used, including points scored in individual games and the Sonneborn-Berger coefficient.
Every team must include a woman player
The championship format sets specific requirements for team line-ups.
Each team fields four main players: three men and one woman. One male player must have been born no later than 1960, another must have been born between 1960 and 1975, while the third senior player is selected at the team’s discretion.
The woman on the team must have been born no later than 1975. Each team may also register one substitute.
The structure means that success depends on more than one strong player. Regional teams need depth across several age categories to remain competitive throughout the tournament.
Players get 60 minutes plus 30 seconds per move
The Kazakhstan Senior Team Chess Championship is using a classical 60+30 time control.
Each player receives 60 minutes for the game, with an additional 30 seconds added after every move starting from the first.
With four boards played simultaneously, the outcome of each team match is determined by the combined results of four individual games. A defeat on one board does not necessarily mean the team will lose the match.
Beket Zharokov: the tournaments help veterans stay connected
Beket Zharokov, Vice President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, said one of the main values of such championships is the opportunity for senior players to stay in touch and meet friends from different parts of the country.
“We hold tournaments like this every year. First of all, for us veterans, it is an opportunity to stay connected with each other and meet friends who live in different parts of Kazakhstan. Now we have the chance to meet twice a year at the team and individual championships, see each other, talk and spend time together. It is very pleasant. I would like these tournaments to continue and attract even more participants. I wish everyone a good game and good luck,” Zharokov said.
For the regions, the championship also serves as a test of the depth of their chess communities. The final result depends not on one individual star, but on the combined performance of players representing different age groups.
The championship is being held with the support of the Freedom group of companies.
Earlier, we also wrote about the 2026 Kazakhstan Senior Chess Championship in Shymkent, where leading senior players competed in the 50+ and 65+ categories in classical chess, rapid and blitz.
