IV International Tournament “Women’s Chess Championship”
The IV International Tournament “Women’s Chess Championship”, held March 9-15, 2026 in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, celebrates International Women’s Day with a structured three-group festival that blends elite invitation play with two open classical Swiss events. The tournament targets top women professionals in the Masters group while also welcoming ambitious competitive players in the Challengers and Futures groups, creating a complete week of FIDE-rated standard chess under one unified framework.
Players compete in 9-round events with a clear schedule, strict fair-play expectations, and a draw restriction that encourages fighting chess. The tournament offers a major cash prize pool of USD 70,000 (approximately $70,000 USD) and distributes awards across all three groups, including youth prizes in the open sections. Uzbekistan Chess Federation runs the event and publishes official procedures for registration, accreditation, and prize payments.
🗓️ Event Details
| 📅 Dates | March 9-15, 2026 |
| 📍 Location | Bukhara, Uzbekistan |
| ♟️ Format | Masters: Round-robin; Challengers & Futures: Swiss System |
| ⭐ Rating | FIDE rated (Standard) |
| 📂 Sections | Masters, Challengers, Futures |
| ⏱️ Time control | 60 minutes for the whole game + 30-second increment from move 1 |
| 💳 Entry fee | International participants: $100 (by Feb 25, 2026). Uzbekistan participants (Challengers & Futures): 400,000–500,000 UZS by rating (see Registration) |
| 💰 Prize fund | $70,000 |
| 👤 Eligibility | Masters: invited (7 foreign players rated 2450+ plus 3 Uzbek players selected by organizers). Challengers: FIDE 1800+. Futures: FIDE 0–1899 |
| 👥 Capacity | Masters: 10 players |
| 🧩 Organizer notes | Confirm participation on March 9, 2026 from 16:00–19:00 or the event removes you from the schedule |
🏆 Prize Fund
The tournament offers a total cash prize fund of USD 70,000 across three groups. The event awards prizes by final standings and published tiebreaks. The tournament does not share prizes in ties and awards prizes according to tiebreak order. If a player qualifies for more than one prize, the tournament awards only the higher prize. The organizers transfer prizes to bank accounts or cards, or provide cash only after winners submit all required documents. Bank service fees may be deducted from prize payouts. Foreign prize winners must obtain PINFL numbers from the Tax Committee of Uzbekistan.
Masters prizes
| Place / Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $8,000 |
| 2nd | $6,000 |
| 3rd | $5,000 |
| 4th | $4,000 |
| 5th | $3,500 |
| 6th | $3,000 |
| 7th | $2,500 |
| 8th | $2,000 |
| 9th | $1,500 |
| 10th | $1,000 |
Challengers prizes
| Place / Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $5,000 |
| 2nd | $4,000 |
| 3rd | $3,000 |
| 4th | $2,500 |
| 5th | $2,000 |
| 6th | $1,800 |
| 7th | $1,600 |
| 8th | $1,300 |
| 9th | $1,200 |
| 10th | $1,000 |
| Under 16 | $500 |
| Under 12 | $500 |
Futures prizes
| Place / Category | Prize |
|---|---|
| 1st | $2,000 |
| 2nd | $1,500 |
| 3rd | $1,000 |
| 4th | $900 |
| 5th | $800 |
| 6th | $700 |
| 7th | $600 |
| 8th | $500 |
| 9th | $300 |
| 10th | $200 |
| Under 16 | $300 |
| Under 12 | $300 |
⏱️ Time Control & Pairings
The tournament uses standard time control in all groups: 60 minutes for the entire game with a 30-second increment from move 1. The event runs 9 rounds in every group. Masters plays a round-robin. Challengers and Futures play a Swiss System.
The tournament prohibits draw agreements before Black’s 30th move in all groups. The event sets the maximum allowed delay at 15 minutes. The chief arbiter may exclude a player from the next-round pairing if the player misses a round without prior notice. The tournament uses Swiss-Manager for pairings.
The tournament registers FIDE standard ratings as of February 1, 2026, and it uses standings data as of March 1, 2026 for the pairings list order.
📂 Sections / Groups
| Section | Rating / target group | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Masters | Invited field (7 foreign players rated 2450+ plus 3 Uzbek players selected by organizers) | Round-robin, 9 rounds |
| Challengers | FIDE 1800+ | Swiss System, 9 rounds |
| Futures | FIDE 0–1899 | Swiss System, 9 rounds |
📅 Schedule
| Date | Weekday | Time | Round / Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 9, 2026 | Monday | Arrival day | |
| March 9, 2026 | Monday | 16:00–19:00 | Accreditation and participation confirmation |
| March 10, 2026 | Tuesday | 10:30 | Opening ceremony |
| March 10, 2026 | Tuesday | 11:00 | Round 1 |
| March 10, 2026 | Tuesday | 16:00 | Round 2 |
| March 11, 2026 | Wednesday | 11:00 | Round 3 |
| March 11, 2026 | Wednesday | 16:00 | Round 4 |
| March 12, 2026 | Thursday | 11:00 | Round 5 |
| March 12, 2026 | Thursday | 16:00 | Round 6 |
| March 13, 2026 | Friday | 11:00 | Round 7 |
| March 13, 2026 | Friday | 16:00 | Round 8 |
| March 14, 2026 | Saturday | 11:00 | Round 9 |
| March 14, 2026 | Saturday | 15:00 | Closing ceremony |
| March 15, 2026 | Sunday | Departure day |
📝 Registration
| How to apply (international participants) | Send an application by email to uzchess@inbox.ru |
| Application deadline (international participants) | February 25, 2026 |
| Entry fee (international participants) | $100 (payment due by February 25, 2026) |
| Entry fee (Uzbekistan participants, Challengers & Futures) | FIDE 2000–2299: 400,000 UZS; FIDE 1800–1999: 450,000 UZS; FIDE 0–1799: 500,000 UZS |
| Entry fee exemptions (Uzbekistan participants) | GM, WGM, IM, WIM, and players rated 2300+ |
| Discounts (Uzbekistan participants) | 50% discount for participants aged 60+ and for individuals with disabilities |
| Free entry (Uzbekistan youth champions) | Winners of the 2025 Uzbekistan Chess Championship (Standard) in Under 7–18 categories can enter rating-appropriate groups without the tournament fee |
| Late registration surcharge | Uzbekistan participants: +300,000 UZS. International participants: +$50 |
| Participation confirmation | Confirm in person on March 9, 2026 from 16:00–19:00 or the event removes you from the schedule |
| Visa support | Submit passport copies by February 15, 2026 if you need a visa |
👥 Organizer
Uzbekistan Chess Federation organizes the IV International Tournament “Women’s Chess Championship” as part of its national chess development program and preparations connected to major international events in Uzbekistan. The federation manages invitations, open-entry processing, accreditation, and prize administration through official contacts and applies standardized rules for fair play, appeals, and tournament operations.
Email: uzchess@inbox.ru
Phone: +998-95-511-14-00
Website: www.uzchess.uz
Telegram: https://t.me/Uzchessfederation
Telegram: https://t.me/RustamAbdusaitov
🏨 Venue
Bukhara City, Bukhara, Uzbekistan
The tournament takes place in Bukhara City and runs on a fixed daily round schedule from late morning through afternoon rounds. The organizer coordinates accreditation on arrival day and centralizes tournament administration through the official federation team.
🚗 How to Get There
Arrive in Bukhara in time for accreditation and participation confirmation on March 9. Plan local transportation so you reach the playing site comfortably before the opening ceremony and Round 1 on March 10.
Bring consistent classical discipline across nine rounds and chase a prize in one of Uzbekistan’s flagship women’s chess events.
🧾 Other
The tournament forms an Appeals Committee with at least five members (three primary and two reserve). A participant can submit an appeal within one hour after the last game of the round.
The event enforces fair-play rules and expects cooperation. The chief arbiter can disqualify a player based on fair-play principles. Players cannot appeal pairings and waive claims for compensation connected to tournament decisions.
The organizer can change the schedule with proper notice, update regulations, and decide issues not covered in the rules.
The tournament requires compliance with the FIDE dress code. The chief arbiter may disqualify a participant who shows a fever or other signs of illness.
All participants must take part in official media activities and give interviews organized by UzChess. The event fines a participant $100 for each missed interview if the participant refuses to comment or give interviews.
Additional Details
Prize Fund - $70,000
Regulations -