2nd Senat Open Chess Cup Final Set for Astana

On August 28, Kazakhstan’s capital will host the final of the 2nd Senat Open Chess Cup, with over 200 participants from across the country.

The final will be held in the ballroom of The Ritz-Carlton Astana. Players from 17 regions, 3 cities of republican significance, as well as members of the Parliament of Kazakhstan will compete in individual and team categories, The Caspian Post reports citing Kazakh media.

The idea for the Senat Open was initiated by the Chairman of the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, Maulen Ashimbayev, and supported by the President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, Timur Turlov. The tournament is being held for the second year in a row.

In 2025, the tournament structure included three stages: 20 qualifying rounds, five semifinals across different regions, and the final, which will conclude the cycle. More than 2,100 chess players took part in the qualifying rounds, and with veteran tournaments included, the total number of participants exceeded 3,000.

The final will be played in 9 rounds using the Swiss system with a rapid control of 10+5 (10 minutes per game plus 5 seconds per move). Eligible participants are those with an Elo rating below 2000 as of January 1, 2025.

Last year’s individual winners were Kairat Kurmangaliyev (Astana), Sultan Sadykov (Shymkent), and Almas Sarmurzayev (Ulytau). The Astana team won the challenge cup.

According to the organizers, the Senat Open final will bring together Kazakhstan’s strongest chess players and serve as a major event boosting interest in chess across the country.