Kazakhstan's men's and women's teams both won their second-round matches at the 46th World Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan. The women beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 3:1, while the men defeated Nigeria 3.5:0.5, infohub.kz reports.
It took just 27 moves for 15-year-old Elnaz Kaliakhmet, playing black on board three, to break down Masa Maksimovic's resistance. After the black rook moved to h4, white conceded there was no defence against the mating attack on the kingside.
Meryuert Kamalidenova, on board two, beat Masa Babic on move 46. Bibisara Assaubayeva, who sat out the first round, and Zarina Nurgaliyeva both drew their games.
Following their 4:0 win over Botswana, Kazakhstan's women went on to beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 3:1. Like many other teams, the Kazakh players have collected four match points.
WORLD CHESS OLYMPIAD 2026. Round 2. September 17. Women. KAZAKHSTAN – BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 3:1
♟️ WFM Milana Babic (2196) – GM* Bibisara Assaubayeva (2536) 0.5:0.5
♟️ IM Meryuert Kamalidenova (2413) – WFM Masa Babic (2147) 1:0
♟️ WFM Masa Maksimovic (2087) – WIM Elnaz Kaliakhmet (2347) 0:1
♟️ WIM Zarina Nurgaliyeva (2303) – WFM Sara Jasimovic (2002) 0.5:0.5
* GM – grandmaster, IM – international master, WIM – woman international master, WFM – woman FIDE master.
After wins over Haiti (4:0) and Nigeria (3.5:0.5), Kazakhstan's men also have four match points. Aldiyar Ansat and Zhandos Agmanov have each won two games in Samarkand. Denis Makhnev, who entered the fray on board one in the second round, won for the first time. Daniyal Sapenov drew his game.
WORLD CHESS OLYMPIAD 2026. Round 2. September 17. Men. KAZAKHSTAN – NIGERIA 3.5:0.5
♟️ GM* Denis Makhnev (2568) – FM Abdulrahman Abdulrahim (2316) 1:0
♟️ IM Odion Aikhoje (2446) – IM Daniyal Sapenov (2510) 0.5:0.5
♟️ GM Aldiyar Ansat (2495) – Bartholomew Ohipo (2246) 1:0
♟️ Odey Ekunke (2280) – GM Zhandos Agmanov (2490) 0:1
* GM – grandmaster, IM – international master, FM – FIDE master.
A total of 398 teams, 1,974 players and 240 grandmasters are taking part in the 46th World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand.
The tournament is played under the Swiss system over 11 rounds. Each team consists of four players and one reserve. The time control is classical: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves plus another 30 minutes. Thirty seconds are added after each move.
A team earns two match points for a win and one for a draw. If teams are level on points, tie-breaks come into play — the Berger coefficient (the number of points scored by opponents) and the sum of individual points won by each team member.
The winners of the men's tournament receive the Lord Frederick Gustavus Hamilton-Russell Cup, and the women's winners the Vera Menchik Cup. The federation with the best combined placing of both its teams is awarded the Nona Gaprindashvili Cup.