The Kids Expo Chess Cup 2026 has officially kicked off in Ashgabat. Today, 19 August, the first move of the international rapid and blitz tournament was played at the Exhibition Center of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan. The competition features cadets across the U8, U10, and U12 categories in both open and girls’ divisions. Organized under the auspices of the Turkic Chess Association (TCA) and the International School Chess Federation (ISCF) as part of the “Kids Expo: Everything for Children” exhibition, the tournament opens the chess program for the ChessFest festival.
The event features a strong turnout of 96 young players from eight countries: Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye, and Uzbekistan. The home team fielded 81 participants, alongside 15 players representing foreign federations. The U10 division proved to be the most popular with 18 players. Today, competitors will face seven rounds of rapid chess, followed by nine rounds of blitz tomorrow. The tournament follows official FIDE rules for individual standings, with live updates available on chess-results.com.
For some participants, this marks their second visit to Ashgabat, inspired to return after last year’s event.
Players to Watch
According to the starting rank lists, the competition promises to be truly international: four out of the six top-seeded positions belong to visiting players.
Top Seeds Across All Six Categories
| Category | Top Seed | Country | Rating | Players |
| U8 | Zakariya Amirov | Kazakhstan | 1651 | 16 |
| G8 | Bahar Jumayeva | Turkmenistan | 1623 | 17 |
| U10 | Kiasha Mahboubi | Iran | 2115 | 18 |
| G10 | Akniyet Kumisbai | Kazakhstan | 1687 | 13 |
| U12 | Sadra Roshantab | Iran | 2248 | 17 |
| G12 | Aya Bayramova | Turkmenistan | 1826 | 15 |
The standout player of the tournament is 12-year-old Sadra Roshantab from Iran. His rating of 2248 is the highest in the field, putting him nearly 280 points ahead of his nearest competitor in the U12 group.
His compatriot presents an even more intriguing story: Kiasha Mahboubi is only nine years old, competing in the U10 category, yet his 2115 rating would place him ahead of all but one player in the older U12 group.
Uzbekistan brought two second seeds: Lazizbek Shavkatov (U12, 1971) and Abdurakhmon Radjabov (U10, 1920). Kazakhstan leads two divisions, with Zakariya Amirov topping the youngest U8 group (1651) and Akniyet Kumisbai leading the girls under 10 (1687).
The hosts show their greatest strength in the girls’ divisions. Aya Bayramova (G12, 1826) holds the highest rating among all female participants, alongside Dilber Khupbyyeva (1773), the only Turkmen player holding the WCM title. In the G8 category, Bahar Jumayeva takes the top seed (1623). In the open sections, the top Turkmen player is Maksat Avliyakuliyev, seeded third in U12 with a 1914 rating. Joining these titled names is Mehriban Ahmadli from Azerbaijan (G12, WCM, 1610).
More Than a Tournament
This marks the inaugural Kids Expo Chess Cup, and the organizers have designed it to be far more than just a competition. Throughout the exhibition, a dedicated “Chess Island” remains open for casual play, mini-simuls, and giant floor chess near the entrance. The event schedule features grandmaster masterclasses, a Kahoot Chess Quiz with prizes, and a “Simul with a Twist” exhibition where a grandmaster plays blindfolded while the audience votes on moves via a collective board. The closing and award ceremony will take place on 20 August at 16:00.
The tournament is organized and supported by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan, the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan, the International School Chess Federation (ISCF), the Turkic Chess Association (TCA), the Freedom Asian Chess Initiatives (FACI) program of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, Freedom Holding Corp., and TurkmenExpo.
Here are some photos from the event:
