For the first time in history, the women's national team of Turkmenistan entered the TOP-50 of the world rankings, taking 50th place in the overall standings of the monthly updated rating list of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in July 2025. The FIDE rating list is based on the average rating of the top 10 female chess players in the country.
It is noteworthy that in December 2022, when the team had just begun a new stage of development after the arrival of a new team of leaders and coaches to the Federation, Turkmenistan was in 105th place in the world women's standings with an average rating of 1528 points.
In the best years of its existence, the Turkmen team remained in the top-70 region, but today's achievement - 50th place - is an absolute record in the entire history of national women's chess.
According to experts, a key role in the transformation of the women's team of Turkmenistan was played by a more demanding approach to the selection and work of coaches, a change in the approach to attracting young talents, the introduction of a systematic training methodology, strict adherence to the sports principle in the formation of the team, as well as an increased focus on individual debut training and the involvement of psychologists in the framework of important international tournaments.
The coaching staff, headed by the head coach of the women's team Shahruh Turayev, also managed to reveal the potential of the younger generation, which is already making a name for itself in the international arena, including the leaders of the team - FIDE women's master Jahan Rejepova (15 years old, personal rating - 2152) and Lala Shohradova (19 years old, personal rating - 2151). They respectively occupy the first two lines in the national rating list of the best Turkmen chess players.
An unprecedented success was the women's team winning a small gold medal at the 45th World Chess Olympiad in Budapest (Hungary) in September 2024, where our chess players took first place in category «C» and 32nd place in the overall standings. A major role in achieving this result was played by the training camps that were held in Antalya (Türkiye) on the eve of the World Olympiad with the involvement of experienced international coaches, including the international grandmaster from Ukraine Vasiliy Ivanchuk.
China continues to hold first place in the world ranking of women's teams (average rating of the top ten is 2484), whose representatives also occupy all five top lines of the world ranking in the individual standings. In second place are the current Olympic champions - chess players from India (average rating - 2412). And the top three is closed by the Ukrainians (2383).
Today, the women's national team of Turkmenistan demonstrates an average rating of the top 10 chess players of the country - 2038, which indicates a qualitative leap of more than 500 points in less than three years.
It is very gratifying that the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan considers these historical achievements not as a peak, but as a solid foundation for further growth. Ahead of our chess players is participation in international tournaments, preparation for the World Chess Olympiad in 2026, which will be held in Samarkand (Uzbekistan), and the fight for a place in the top 40 best teams in the world.
Last month, Turkmen chess players achieved another historic success – they took second place with six medals in the team standings at the 3rd Central Asian Championship in Cholpon-Ata (Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan) with classical regulations among boys and girls under 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 years old.
turkmenistan.gov.tm
