Zakovat-Gambit Tournament Final to Be Held in Tashkent: 620 Million Soum Prize Fund and Star Grandmasters

Qualifiers are complete, with the final ahead in Tashkent

From October 19 to 23, the regional qualifying stages of the 5th Zakovat-Gambit chess tournament took place. To participate this year, 5,831 chess players registered, including 633 women — a figure recorded as a record in the tournament's history, reports Zamon.uz.

A chance for everyone and the calendar of decisive stages

For those who could not take part in the regional qualifiers or did not pass them, there is still an opportunity to enter the tournament: on October 24, an additional online qualifier will be held on the chess.com platform. Participants who successfully pass the qualifying stages will play in the semifinal on October 28, and the strongest will meet at the final stage on October 29–30 in Tashkent.

Tournament guests and prize fund

Famous grandmasters are expected to visit the tournament — Hungarian Peter Leko and Indian chess player Humpy Koneru. According to Zamon.uz, they will hold special sessions for chess enthusiasts and share their experience. The total prize fund amounts to 620 million soums. Participants will be divided by rating into five groups, and in each group a contest for supremacy will be held.

Significance of the event

The scale of registration — nearly six thousand participants and a record number of women — shows that the tournament is fulfilling its stated mission: to unite chess enthusiasts, identify new talents, and create opportunities for exchanging experience. The event touches thousands of chess players across the country: right now, those who did not pass the qualifiers have a chance through the online stage on October 24, while the winners in the five rating groups will compete for a share of the 620 million soum fund.