On February 7-8, the Freestyle Grand Chess Tournament KIMEP 2026 was held at KIMEP University for university students in Almaty. 27 universities participated, making the competition especially intense and prestigious. The tournament was played in 9 rounds under the Swiss system, in Fischer Random Chess format with a 3+1 time control, and teams competed in a 3+1 format – three men and one woman.
The AlmaU team played confidently and deservedly secured 2nd place, scoring 14 points and finishing just 2 points behind the winner, MUIT. In the direct match against the tournament leader, our team showed incredible resilience: the match ended in a 2-2 tie.
Team lineup:
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Bizhigitov Zhangir (FM)
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Zhumabek Nurasyl (FM)
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Ualikhan Anuar (CMS)
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Nuray Erkinbek (2nd category)
Team leaders stood out particularly:
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Bizhigitov Zhangir – 8/9 points, undefeated, tied 1st–2nd on board one.
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Zhumabek Nurasyl – also 8/9 points, sole first place on board two.
Ualikhan Anuar and Nuray Erkinbek also made crucial contributions, scoring important points in critical moments of the tournament.
Our team demonstrated bright, strategic play, strong will to win, and resilience, especially in the final rounds, where every game could change the final ranking.
Congratulations to the AlmaU team on this outstanding achievement! We are proud of their skill and team spirit!