One of the key events of the national sports calendar, the First League of the Turkmenistan Chess Championship, concluded at the capital’s specialized chess and checkers school. The tournament, held from January 18 to 24, determined the final participants of the country’s Higher League for the upcoming season.
The competition brought together 81 top chess players (54 in the open category and 27 in the women’s category), who had passed a rigorous selection process in the Second League. The tournament was held using the Swiss system and consisted of 11 rounds. The organizers ensured equal conditions for all participants, including an inclusive environment for athletes with visual impairments.
Women’s Category
The tournament’s sensation was the victory of 12-year-old Dilber Khupbyyeva from the Dashoguz region, and the following participants advanced to the Women’s Higher League:
• 1st place: Dilber Khupbyyeva (8.5 points, FIDE rating: 1780). The young chess player confirmed her serious ambitions to make the 2026 Olympic team.
• 2nd place: Myakhri Agamyradova (8.5 points, Lebap region, 1884). She demonstrated a consistently high level, losing the lead only on additional criteria.
• 3rd place: Ayshe Gubatayeva (8 points, Ashgabat, 1878). The Magtymguly Turkmen State University student confidently confirmed her status as an experienced player, securing her place in the Higher League. • 4th place: Myahrijemal Gurbangeldiyeva (7.5 points, 1851) also earned a spot in the elite division.
Open Category
The Lebap Chess School celebrated victory in the open section, with its students taking the top spots in the standings. Five players will advance to the Higher League:
• 1st place: Gurbanmyrat Rustemov (9 points, FIDE rating: 2036). The 16-year-old sensation confidently defeated the tournament favorites, including Shakhrukh Turayev and the leader of the women’s team, Lala Shokhradova.
• 2nd place: Ilkhan Charyev (8.5 points, 2086). The 18-year-old student of the Lebap School has proven his right to be in the elite division for the second year in a row.
• 3rd place: Shakhrukh Turayev (8 points, 2198). The head coach of the women’s team led for most of the race and, despite a setback in the final rounds, remains one of the main medal contenders in the Higher League.
• Top 5: Chess veteran and 72-year-old International Master Karen Grigoryan (2225) and Leyla Shokhradova (2174, already a member of the 2026 women’s team) also advanced to the Higher League.
The recent championship demonstrated a significant increase in the professionalism of young players. A generational change in Turkmen chess is becoming a fact: young players are not only competing with experienced masters but also dictating their own rules of the game at the national level.
Ahead – the Higher League: Battle of the Strongest
In February, the chess community awaits the culmination of the national cycle. Competitions in the Higher League (in both the open and women’s categories) will be held in a round-robin format with two rounds, with eight selected masters participating in each section. Open Category Participants:
Players who secured their spots through other qualifying channels will join the five First League winners:
• Wepaly Khalyniyazov (rating: 2194) – the reigning 2025 Major League champion;
• Akhmet Gubatayev (2176) – Fed Cup winner;
• Amanmukhammet Khommadov (2268) – Grand Prix Series champion.
Particular attention is focused on Leyla Shokhradova. With the highest rating among women, she has already secured a spot on the national team. However, Leyla also earned the right to compete in the open (men’s) Major League, choosing to compete against the country’s strongest players to gain valuable experience. The women’s category lineup:
The following will join the First League leaders in the women’s elite division:
• Jahan Rejepova (1985) – the reigning 2025 Higher League champion;
• Gulmira Seyilkhanova (1914) – via the Federation Cup;
• Ogulsurai Bayrambaeva (1945) – Grand Prix Series runner-up (champion: Leyla Shokhradova).
• Lala Shokhradova (2089) – qualified based on rating (the next highest rating after rating leader Leyla Shokhradova).
The trend of women’s participation in the open elite division underscores the rapid growth of women’s chess in Turkmenistan. Leyla Shokhradova continues the tradition established by her sister, Lala Shokhradova, who qualified for the men’s Premier League in 2023 and 2025. This marks the third time in the last four years that a woman has been among the country’s top players overall.
