Ashgabat, March 25, 2025 – The Europe Today: The inaugural stage of the Grand Prix of Turkmenistan chess tournament took place at the Ashgabat Chess and Checkers School, attracting 130 participants from across the country. Organized by the National Chess Federation, the tournament aims to enhance game practice for chess enthusiasts, foster pathways into the major league, and promote chess among the population.
The Grand Prix is structured as a series of six stages held across the country’s five velayats and the capital, with players accumulating points to secure top positions in the overall standings. The final stage will take place in Ashgabat, where champions in both the open and women’s categories will earn direct entry to the 2026 Turkmenistan Premier League, which serves as a gateway to the national team for international competitions.
During the Ashgabat stage, Amanmukhammet Khommadov (rating 2251) emerged victorious in the open category, scoring 8 points out of 9. In the women’s category, Eneş Arazmedova (FIDE rating 1811), a participant in the World Chess Olympiad in Budapest, claimed the top spot with 7.5 points, significantly improving her rating by 96 points despite being seeded sixth.
A groundbreaking feature of the tournament was the online broadcast of games in real time, marking a first in the history of Turkmen chess. Seven boards from the open category and three from the women’s category were streamed live in test mode.
The next stage of the Turkmenistan Chess Grand Prix is scheduled for May 2025 in the Balkan velayat.
