At the ‘Ashgabat 2025’ international chess tournament currently taking place in Ashgabat, licensed referee Sharif Nataj Khadije from Iran stated that the Turkmen capital fully meets the requirements for hosting world-class competitions. She noted the impeccable organisation, modern infrastructure and professional refereeing. This was reported by the online publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’.

The Head of the Russian delegation, Alexander Shkurikhin, also praised the atmosphere of the tournament, emphasising the spirit of friendship and fair play among the participants.

A total of 129 young chess players from 11 countries are taking part in the competition. The first medals have already been awarded in the rapid chess discipline, where the Turkmenistan team took first place in the unofficial team standings. The competition is being held in a modern chess and draughts school built on the initiative of the Hero Arkadag.

Experts are confident that the successful organisation of the tournament opens up prospects for Ashgabat to host Asian and World chess championships.