Meruert Kamalidenova Triumphs Over 7 GMs, Secures Grandmaster Norm

Few female players in chess history were able to win a round-robin classical event ahead of male grandmasters. IM Meruert Kamalidenova has now joined that elite group.

The 19-year-old scored a stunning victory in the Karaganda Akim Cup, a closed 10-player GM tournament in her native country, Kazakhstan, that ran August 27-September 4. Despite being the lowest-ranked player in the field, Kamalidenova won the event outright with 5.5 points, half a point ahead of GMs Denis Makhnev and Alisher Suleymenov.

Kamalidenova's triumph was even more remarkable considering her slow start, losing in the first round.

She bounced back to win three games against grandmasters, including top-seed GM Samvel Ter-Sahakayan, to finish on a 2614 performance rating and secure her first grandmaster norm.

Full results available on Chess-Results.com.

Kamalidenova's success continues to elevate her growing reputation. In 2019, she became the World Youth U14 Chess Champion and also claimed titles in the Asian Youth Chess Championships. Her peak rating is 2427, which she reached in April 2022, but her rating has since dropped before stabilizing in the high 2300s. She is currently ranked ninth in the world among the highest-rated female juniors (U20).

"This was unexpected," her coach GM Alexander Moiseenko told Chess.com. The Ukrainian grandmaster assisted Kamalidenova during the event. "But she was in very good form before the tournament," he noted.

"I was impressed with her defensive skills and her play against the Elo favorites. She beat Ter-Sahakayan when the idea was to make a draw with White. When she got a chance to win, she used it very well."

Moiseenko says he thinks Kamalidenova's actual level is considerably higher than her rating. Asked about her potential, he says: "Very high. I don't see any limits."

One of Kamalidenova's finest wins came in round four against her compatriot GM Ramazan Zhalmakhanov. 

Women have been the minority of all chess players throughout chess history, and it has even been uncommon to see a woman win a major tournament ahead of male players, both at the adult and youth levels. One factor is that many of the top players tend to play in women-only events instead of events open to both genders.

This Wikipedia page lists a total of 83 tournament successes by female players. Most of them are against considerably weaker opposition, and some are rapid or online events, compared to the 2521 average faced by Kamalidenova.

Among the most standout performances in the list, are:

• GM Judit Polgar, widely recognized as the greatest female player in chess history, has a number of victories throughout her career, such as shared first at the 2011 European Individual Championship and winning the 2006 Essent tournament.
• Judit's sister IM Sofia Polgar won the 1989 Rome Open with 8.5/9, scoring a performance rating of 2879.
• GM Hou Yifan scored what is likely the best performance by a woman in the last decade when she won the strong 2018 Biel Chess Festival, achieving a performance rating of 2810.
• In 2016, GM Valentina Gunina won the London Super Rapidplay with 9/10 and a 2831 performance ahead of 42 grandmasters in a field of more than 400 players.
• More recently, GM Vaishali Rameshbabu won the 10-player 2022 Heraklion Fischer Memorial, ahead of nine male players, also securing her second GM norm.

Polgar herself decided early that she would only compete in open events, among men, instead of sticking to women's tournaments. While noting that she is not against women's tournaments, she said in a recent New In Chess podcast that many women may be setting the bar a bit too low.

"I've never spoken with a lady from the top who said: 'Yes, I believe that women can become just as good as guys because there is no difference.' There is a difference but it's not the difference women and men have that it would stop you from becoming a top-10 player, let's say."

The Hungarian legend also suggested to abolish women's titles, as it could benefit how women and girls approach chess and the level they can reach.

Meanwhile, Kamalidenova said in an interview with Astana Times last year that she spends from three to six hours a day on chess. She said joy is a key factor for success.

“You have to enjoy chess while playing, and only then will there be a result. That is to say, you need to enjoy the game, even if you lose.”

You have to enjoy chess while playing, and only then will there be a result. That is to say, you need to enjoy the game, even if you lose.

—Meruert Kamalidenova 

Kamalidenova's resilience and willingness to learn from losses have shaped her journey in chess. "When I was a child, I used to cry after a loss, but that habit passed with time. Now, when I lose, I know I can win the next time because it’s just a game," she added.

The 19-year-old is currently playing on board two for the Kazakhstan's Women's team in the Chess Olympiad in Budapest.