On October 21, the first stage of regional qualifying competitions for the First League of the 2025 Turkmenistan Chess Championship begins in Dashoguz. 69 participants have already registered for the tournament, demonstrating a significant increase in interest in chess in the region – the number of players with an international FIDE rating has increased from 4 to 20 compared to last year.

According to the press service of the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan (CFT), the series of regional competitions will last until mid-November and will be held in four stages: Dashoguz stage – October 21-25, Ashgabat stage (including Balkan and Ahal velayats) – October 28-November 1, Lebap stage – November 4-8, Mary stage – November 11-15.

"The holding of qualifying stages and, in general, a greater number of tournaments in each velayat is a targeted policy of the Chess Federation, as not every chess player has the opportunity to come to the capital. Thus, talented young chess players in remote areas have a chance and, accordingly, motivation to showcase their skills and go through all the qualifying stages for a possible place in the national team," explains the chairman of the Chess Federation, Vepa Mialikguliyev.

Moreover, anyone from other regions of the country can also participate in all other stages of the selection, but without the right to claim advancement to the next stage from another velayat. According to the General Secretary of the CFT, Mergen Kakabayev, "this condition allows young chess players to gain intensive tournament practice over these two months without the need to travel abroad."

At the First League stage, which is scheduled for early 2025, chess players selected through the velayats will be joined by holders of the title "Candidate Master of Sports" and higher among men and those with the 1st category and higher among women, who will compete in one tournament using the Swiss system for three spots in the Higher League of the 2025 Turkmenistan Championship.

The top four places in the Higher League of the previous year, i.e., 2024, as well as one winner of the recent Federation Cup (among men and women) have already earned the right to participate in the next Higher League, which will be played in a round-robin system in two rounds among 8 finalists. The top five places in the Higher League will form the men's and women's national teams for 2025.

It is worth noting that the teams formed in March this year according to the same principle have been intensively preparing since then and successfully performed at the 45th World Chess Olympiad in Budapest (Hungary) in September, winning gold medals in their categories (men – in category B, and women – in category C).