Kazakhstani Championship 2023: Ansat and Balabayeva win maiden titles
IM Aldiyar Ansat and WIM Xeniya Balabayeva are the new champions of Kazakhstan. Both won their first national titles. The 2023 Kazakhstani Championship took place in Astana from December 13-24. The open event, a 14-player round-robin, turned into an extremely tight competition. Suffice it to say that as many as five participants scored 8/13 and tied for first place, with neither player completing the event unbeaten. According to the Championship Regulations, GMs Denis Makhnev, Alisher Suleymenov, IMs Arystanbek Urazayev, Aldiyar Ansat, and FM Abilmansur Abdilkhair played a rapid tie-breaker to determine the winner and medalists. On paper, the two GMs, Makhnev and Suleimenov, had a better shot at the title, but the young IM Aldiyar Ansat defied all the odds. After winning his first two games, he held his ground against GMs and secured the national title. Arystanbek Urazaev (Aktobe) and Denis Makhnev (Pavlodar) took silver and bronze respectively. Final standings open (after 13 rounds): 1 GM Makhnev, Denis 2486 8 2 GM Suleymenov, Alisher 2513 8 3 IM Urazayev, Arystanbek 2472 8 4 IM Ansat, Aldiyar 2434 8 5 FM Abdilkhair, Abilmansur 2255 8 6 FM Sapenov, Daniyal 2350 7½ 7 IM Nogerbek, Kazybek 2483 7½ 8 IM Zhalmakhanov, Ramazan 2493 7 9 IM Isanzhulov, Arystan 2407 7 10 Utegaliyev, Azamat 2416 6½ 11 IM Agmanov, Zhandos 2460 5½ 12 GM Kazhgaleyev, Murtas 2490 5 13 Amirali, Abzal 2136 3½ 14 Tkachyov, Adil 2078 1½ WIM Xeniya Balabayeva (pictured below) dominated the women’s event, a 10-player round-robin, winning direct encounters with her main rivals and scoring an impressive 7.5/9. Coming into the final round, Xseniya needed just a draw to win gold, and she confidently accomplished the task, clinching the title. The top-seed Alua Nurmanova finished a full point behind the champion and earned silver. As many as three participants tied for third place on 5/9, with Madina Davletbayeva claiming bronze thanks to a superior Sonneborn-Berger. Final standings women: 1 WIM Balabayeva, Xeniya 2244 7½ 2 WIM Nurmanova, Alua 2326 6½ 3 WGM Davletbayeva, Madina 2216 5 4 FM Kurmangaliyeva, Liya 2261 5 5 WIM Sultanbek, Zeinep 2008 5 6 Kaldarova, Ayaulym 2015 4½ 7 WIM Serikbay, Assel 2186 4 8 WIM Kairbekova, Amina 2235 4 9 Popandopulo, Kristina 1865 2½ 10 WCM Kim, Kristina 1933 1 Official website: kazchess.kz/ Photos: Kazakhstan Chess Facebook Page