At the invitation of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, the national team of Turkmenistan participated in a training camp organized in the Kazakh city of Kokshetau at the Chess House from 18 May to 2 June 2026.
The objective of the training camp was to prepare the athletes for the 46th World Chess Olympiad, enhance their professional skills, and strengthen international cooperation.
The sessions were conducted under the guidance of International Grandmaster Aleksandr Rakhmanov.
The Chess House provided all the necessary conditions for a highly focused training process, informal communication, and timely recovery.
As noted by Mergen Kakabayev, General Secretary of the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan, the training was highly intensive, lasting 6 to 7 hours a day.
“The players are very engaged; Aleksandr Andreyevich Rakhmanov teaches how to think correctly and instructs on so-called positional chess. The coach also emphasizes team play and how to prepare for it psychologically, which is very relevant right now. As we all know, the Chess Olympiad will take place in Samarkand this September, and such preparation on the eve of the event is extremely beneficial for our national team,” M. Kakabayev said.
With the aim of preparing the Turkmen team for the Olympiad and as part of the ongoing cooperation with the Kazakhstan Federation, additional online sessions with Aleksandr Rakhmanov are planned once the team returns to Ashgabat.
As part of their trip to Kazakhstan, the Turkmen national team will also participate in the international chess tournament “Vladimir Dvorkovich Memorial – Aktobe Open 2026,” which will be held from 3 to 11 June in Aktobe. The tournament will feature two competitions – Masters and Open – with chess players from 21 countries, including 23 Grandmasters. The prize pool for the championship is US $ 100,000. ///Chess Federation of Turkmenistan