KazChess Masters

[Hans Jung]

https://en.chessbase.com/post/kazche...almaty-2026-r1 An interesting tournament where some of Kazhakstan's talents play top grandmasters with a good classical time control.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=3183085 Shankland vs Ansat Interesting middlegame transposition where Black gets a bishop and knight vs rook and pawn but Shankland has seen further. It looked touch and go for a while with Black's passed rook pawn but the continuation with both sides queening leaves White with a mating attack.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=3183087 Kovalenko vs Donchenko Nice play by White.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=3183084 Makhnev vs Sarana Interesting play where Black wins an exchange but White finally gets his passed pawn going and Black escapes with perpetual check.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=3183305 Rd2 Makhnev vs Shankland Craftily played by White.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=3183301 Rd 2 Sarana vs Smirnov A grand endgame finish. Precise calculation.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=3183302 Rd 2 Donchenko vs Nogerbek Knight transpositions.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=3183606 Shankland vs Nurman Sam Shankland achieves zugzwang at the end.

[Hans Jung]

After 4 rounds a five way tie for first. Shankland, Sarana, Makhnev, Kovalenko and Donchenko all with 2.5

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=3184373 Rd 6 Ansat vs Donchenko Donchenko has been scoring well with the Caro-Kann. In this one his opponent went material grabbing and Donchenko ended up with a queen and five extra pawns vs a rook and two bishops. The queen was just too active.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=3184374 Makhnev vs Smirnov Rd 6 Look at the sealed king's coffin at the end.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=3184241 Smirnov vs Ansat rd 5 A Dragon. Interesting play by White to takeover the queenside and trap the black knight.

[Hans Jung]

After 6 rounds Donchenko and Makhnev lead with 4, 3 players ahalf point back with 3.5.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=3184239 Rd 5 A slugfest between Kovalenko and Shankland ends in a draw.

[Hans Jung]

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=3184999 Igor Kovalenko had three long draws before he was awarded an endgame win after a decisive king walk. The points are hard to come by in this tournament.