The Turkmenistan Chess Team will compete in the Vladimir Dvorkovich Memorial – Aktobe Open 2026 international tournament, which will be held from June 3 to 11 in Aktobe, Kazakhstan. This was reported by the press service of the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan.

The tournament will feature two competitions: Masters and Open. Chess players from 21 countries, including 23 grandmasters, have been invited to participate. The prize fund is 100 000 USD.

Competition in the tournament will be part of the Turkmen team's preparation for the 46th World Chess Olympiad, which will be held in Samarkand in September.

Immediately before the tournament, from May 18 to June 2, the Turkmenistan team attended a training camp in Kokshetau, Kazakhstan, at the invitation of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation. Classes were held at the local Chess House under the guidance of International Grandmaster Alexander Rakhmanov and lasted 6-7 hours a day.

"The kids are really interested. Alexander Andreevich teaches them how to think correctly and teaches positional chess. The coach also emphasizes teamwork and psychological preparation, which is especially important right now in the lead-up to the Olympiad," noted Mergen Kakabaev, Secretary General of the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan.

Following the team's return to Ashgabat, collaboration with the Kazakhstan Chess Federation will continue: additional online classes with Alexander Rakhmanov are planned.