The Turkmenistan National School Chess Championship concluded in Ashgabat. The finals and awards ceremony took place at the capital’s specialized chess and checkers school. Approximately 500 young athletes aged 7 to 17 participated in the competition, making it the largest school chess tournament in the country’s history.
The championship featured 108 sets of medals across three formats: classical chess, rapid chess, and blitz. The tournament was held using the Swiss system and included nine rounds.
Ashgabat had the largest representation with 191 participants, followed by Lebap Velayat with 109. All regions of Turkmenistan sent teams.
A distinctive feature of the competition was the introduction of odd-numbered age categories. This format was used for the first time and is aimed at bringing the national selection process in line with the regulations of the International and Asian Chess Federations. Previously, championships were held only for even-numbered age groups.
The winners and runners-up received medals, diplomas, and commemorative gifts. Financial and organizational support for the event was provided by Düwmejik, Ynamdar.com, TelefonTM, Dap.tm, and Orient.
The rapid development of chess in the country is also evident in statistics: over the past four years, the number of professional chess players has grown from 60 to 1500. The number of official tournaments has increased from 12 to approximately 80 per year, expanding opportunities for discovering and training talented players not only in the capital but also in the regions.
The Ashgabat Chess and Checkers School accommodates 350 students and is equipped with modern infrastructure. The complex includes 20 classrooms, eight computer labs, two competition halls, game analysis rooms, a gym, and a library. Construction and improvement of the facility was carried out by the private enterprise Halkara Dostluk.
