In Samarkand, contestant Bibisara Assaubayeva secures a bronze medal in the FIDE Women's Grand Swiss chess tournament.
In the recent FIDE Women's Grand Swiss 2025 tournament held in Samarkand, 21-year-old Grandmaster Bibisara Assaubayeva from Kazakhstan claimed a commendable third place.
Assaubayeva, who finished the tournament with 7 1/2 points out of 11 games, drew her final game against Anna Muzychuk, a Ukrainian player rated at 2535. This impressive performance has strengthened her chances of qualifying for the 2026 Candidates Tournament via the FIDE Women's Events 2024-2025 rating cycle.
The Kazakhstan Chess Federation's press service reported the results on Sept. 16, also announcing that Assaubayeva received $25,000 in prize money for her third-place finish.
Meanwhile, Kseniya Balabaeva secured a final-round victory in the tournament, clinching the top spot. Vaishali Rameshbabu, an Indian player, also impressed, finishing the tournament with 8 points to claim the victory.
Notably, Elnaz Kaliakhmet, a 14-year-old player, fulfilled the woman grandmaster norm during the tournament.
Meruert Kamalidenova, another Kazakhstan player, finished in the top 23 of the tournament, earning $3,000 in prize money. Kateryna Lagno (FIDE) also had a strong showing, finishing in second place with 8 points.
This tournament marks a significant milestone in Assaubayeva's career, and her third-place finish is a testament to her hard work and dedication to the game of chess.
