The Turkmenistan national team is participating in the first-ever Chess Olympiad among Turkic nations, held from May 13 to May 18 in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Turkmen delegation includes 14 of the country’s top athletes.
Teams from six member countries of the Turkic Chess Association (TCA) are competing in the event: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. As the host nation, Kazakhstan has fielded two teams, bringing the total number of competing teams to seven.
The teams in the Open and Women’s categories consist of four main players and one reserve. The U-16 category features teams of four athletes each. After the first two rounds, the Turkmenistan women’s national team is currently in first place.
M. Kakabayev, General Director of the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan, stated: “We pay great attention to the development of children’s and youth chess, nurturing a new generation of future champions, and working to increase the international ratings of our athletes. Before 2022, there were fewer than 100 athletes with a FIDE rating in Turkmenistan. Currently, there are about 500. In the future, we plan to prepare a ‘second tier’ for our national team, as we believe healthy competition should lead to a consistently strong roster without an elite group of ‘irreplaceable’ players.”
Vepa Malikgulyyev, Chairman of the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan, is participating in working meetings and discussions regarding the strategic development of the Turkic Chess Association, organized as part of the Olympiad.
As a reminder, on 20 October 2025, the chess federations of Kazakhstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan signed a memorandum in Astana to establish the Turkic Chess Association (TCA). Membership in the TCA provides opportunities to participate in regular joint tournaments, expanding the competitive calendar and giving Turkmen chess players more high-level practice. Participation in the TCA will also contribute to improving player qualifications and increasing FIDE ratings.
Tournament results can be followed via these links:
- https://s2.chess-results.com/tnr1396849.aspx
- https://s1.chess-results.com/tnr1396892.aspx?lan=1&art=0&SNode=S0
///Chess Federation of Turkmenistan