The Turkmenistan chess championship among participants of the major league continues in Ashgabat. The competition is held in a round-robin format in two stages, bringing together the strongest masters of the country of the intellectual game.
Based on the results of the first round, clear favourites were identified in the tournament table.
In the open category, the sole leader of the men's tournament was Amanmuhammet Hommadov (rating 2269), who demonstrated a hundred percent result − 7 points out of 7 possible. The second line is occupied by the current national champion Vepaly Halynyazov (2194) with 4.5 points. Ahmet Gubatayev (2176) rounds out the top three with 4 points.
In the women's category, Lala Shohradova (2109) holds a confident lead, scoring 6.5 points out of 7. In second place is Gulmira Seyilhanova (1810) with a score of 4.5 points. Third place is occupied by the current champion of Turkmenistan, Jahan Rejepova (2051), who has 4 points.
The championship is a key stage in the formation of national teams for participation in international tournaments.
The men's team will include three winners of the major league. Previously, according to the regulations of the Chess federation of Turkmenistan, grandmasters Saparmyrat Atabayev (2487) and Meylis Annaberdiyev (2424) had already secured places on the national team based on their high international ratings.
The leader of the national ranking, Leyla Shohradova (2182), was automatically included in the women's team. The remaining four vacant spots on the Olympic team will be distributed among the best participants based on the results of the current championship.
The chess players now face the decisive games of the second round, which will finally determine the names of the national champions and the composition of the Turkmenistan team for participation in the 47th World chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, this September.
