KazChess Masters 2025
10 players participated in this 9-round tournament, held from 21 Nov 2025 to 29 Nov 2025 in Almaty, Kazakhstan. 10 titled players from 6 federations. Top 10 Elo average was 2572, and top seed was Alexey Sarana (🇷🇸 SRB, GM, 2675).
Alexey Sarana (🇷🇸 SRB, GM, 2675) won with 6.5/9, ahead of Maksim Chigaev (5.5) and Kazybek Nogerbek (5.5). Sarana took the lead from round 8.
The biggest upset came in round 7: Kazybek Nogerbek (GM, 2538) beat Alexey Sarana (GM, 2675), a +137-point gap.
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How it unfolded
Top 10 · 9 roundsGM Alexey Sarana led from R1 onwards, the runner-up race stayed tight.
GM Volodar Murzin takes the sole lead (5.0/7).
GM Alexey Sarana lost to GM Kazybek Nogerbek (Black).
GM Alexey Sarana 3 wins (R1–R3)GM Volodar Murzin 3 wins (R5–R7)
Cross-table
| # | Player | Elo | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Pts | SB | Bh | Δ Elo | Perf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇷🇸GMSarana, Alexey | 2675 | * | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6.5 | 25.00 | 38.5 | +6.4 | 2727 |
| 4 | 🇪🇸GMChigaev, Maksim | 2628 | 1 | * | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 5.5 | 25.75 | 39.5 | +2.8 | 2646 |
| 2 | 🇰🇿GMNogerbek, Kazybek | 2538 | 1 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 5.5 | 24.25 | 39.5 | +14.5 | 2656 |
| 5 | 🇰🇿GMMakhnev, Denis | 2525 | 0 | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5.5 | 21.00 | 39.5 | +16.3 | 2657 |
| 3 | GMMurzin, Volodar | 2655 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5.5 | 19.50 | 39.5 | -1.0 | 2643 |
| 6 | 🇮🇱GMGelfand, Boris | 2633 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 5.0 | 21.25 | 40.0 | -3.1 | 2608 |
| 7 | 🇮🇳GMKarthikeyan, Murali | 2662 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4.5 | 15.00 | 40.5 | -11.7 | 2562 |
| 9 | 🇰🇿IMNurgaliyev, Sauat | 2437 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | 2.5 | 10.25 | 42.5 | -2.5 | 2421 |
| 8 | 🇰🇿IMAnsat, Aldiyar | 2476 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | 2.5 | 8.75 | 42.5 | -7.3 | 2417 |
| 10 | 🇰🇿GMMamedov, Edgar | 2492 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | * | 2.0 | 9.25 | 43.0 | -14.4 | 2361 |
Key insights
Biggest movers and upsets — the story behind the numbers.
- 1Makhnev, DenisGMKAZ+16.35.5 pts · #5
- 2Nogerbek, KazybekGMKAZ+14.55.5 pts · #2
- 3Sarana, AlexeyGMSRB+6.46.5 pts · #1
- 1Mamedov, EdgarGMKAZ-14.42.0 pts · #10
- 2Karthikeyan, MuraliGMIND-11.74.5 pts · #7
- 3Ansat, AldiyarIMKAZ-7.32.5 pts · #8
- R7+137 Elo gap
- R8+137 Elo gap
- R4+130 Elo gap