The latest stage of the Grand Prix Chess tournament series, which concluded in Mary, attracted 141 participants.
The competition was held using the Swiss system, with a nine-round time control: 90 minutes per game, with a 30-second increment for each move, starting with the first.
91 participants competed for the title of the strongest in the open category and 50 in the women's category.
The tournament included an international FIDE rating system, which gives additional weight to results and paves the way for participants to achieve greater international success.
In the open category, where women have been allowed and even encouraged to participate alongside men in recent years, Amanmuhammet Hommadov, a student at the Turkmen state institute of physical education and sports and a graduate of the capital's specialised chess and checkers school, took first place, scoring 8 out of 9 possible points. This is his second Grand Prix victory, following his success at the Ashgabat stage.
The silver medal with a score of 7 points was won by the current champion of the men's major league, a student of the Turkmen state institute of architecture and construction, Vepaly Halynyazov.
A fierce battle unfolded for third place, which Shahruh Turayev and Shageldi Gurbandurdyyev were aiming for. At the end of the main tournament, they had absolutely equal results – the same number of points, equal odds, and a draw in their head-to-head match. In accordance with the tournament regulations, an additional blitz match was held to determine third place. First, the opponents played two blitz games, which ended with a tie at 1:1. The winner was ultimately determined in the deciding game, played in an Armageddon format, where White gets 5 minutes and Black 4 minutes, with a draw being recorded as a win for Black.
According to the draw, Shageldi Gurbandurdyyev played black. In a tense game, demonstrating high concentration and composure, Shahruh Turayev won, thus securing third place in the final tournament standings.
In the women's category, the entire podium was occupied by students from the Moscow Chess and Checkers School. Leyla Shohradova, a student at the International university of oil and gas named after Y. Kakayev, took the top spot. She had previously won the Dashoguz Grand Prix with a perfect score of 9 points out of 9. This time, she won with 8.5 points. With her victory in Mary, Leyla gained 24 points and surpassed the 2100 mark in her ELO rating, qualifying her for the title of FIDE Women's Master.
The silver medal went to Ogulsuray Bayrambayeva, a student at the Turkmen state institute of physical education and sports, with 7 points. Enesh Arazmedova also scored the same number of points, but due to additional criteria, she settled for third place.
The Grand Prix series, established by the Turkmenistan Chess Federation in 2025, has become a key element in promoting chess in the country's regions and identifying new stars and talents.
The next and final stage of the Grand Prix will be held in Turkmenbashy, where an equally intense and spectacular competition is expected.
The final stage will be held in Ashgabat. Based on its results, the winners of the open and women's categories will receive direct tickets to the 2026 Turkmenistan Premier League, where the national team will be formed to participate in international competitions.
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