Kazakhstani chess star Bibisara Assaubayeva secured her third Women's World Blitz Championship title on Tuesday in Doha, but the 21-year-old revealed that lifting the trophy was not her primary objective for the event.
Qualifying for Candidates Was the Top Priority
In a press conference following her victory, the world number 11 openly stated that her main focus was earning a place in the prestigious Women's Candidates tournament. The eight-player double round-robin event is scheduled to take place in Cyprus, and its winner will earn the right to challenge China's Ju Wenjun for the Women's World Championship title.
"I'll take a couple of days off but I've to prepare for the Candidates. There's a lot of work to do," Assaubayeva said about her New Year plans, expressing relief at qualifying for the Candidates for the first time.
A Strategic Path to Qualification
Interestingly, Assaubayeva's route to the Candidates was strategic. She chose to accept a wild card for the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Tour instead of playing the Women's World Cup in Georgia, even though the latter offered three direct qualifying spots. She also competed in the Grenke Freestyle Swiss League event in April.
Her qualification hinged on finishing ahead of her close rival, Ukraine's Anna Muzychuk, in the FIDE Circuit points race. The tension culminated in the Blitz Championship itself, where both players reached the title clash, but Assaubayeva ultimately prevailed to seal the crucial spot.
Nervous Finish to a Blitz Triumph
The seventh seed dominated the Swiss League phase of the World Blitz with six consecutive wins, leading comfortably with two rounds remaining. However, a defeat in the 14th round to Russia's Valentina Gunina created a tense final round. Assaubayeva managed to secure a draw against Antoaneta Stefanova, which was enough to propel her into the semifinals and eventually to the championship.
Praggnanandhaa's Success, Abdusattorov's Miss
In related news, India's Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa locked up the final berth for the 2026 Open Candidates Tournament by finishing joint first at the London Chess Classic. This result ended the hopes of Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who then finished as runner-up at the World Blitz Championship in Doha, losing the final 2.5-1.5 to Magnus Carlsen and winning a 50,000 euro prize.
