Kazakhstan’s star GM Bibisara Assaubayeva delivered one of the most impressive performances of her career, securing victory at Norway Chess Women 2026 with a round to spare. Competing in one of the strongest women’s tournaments of the year, Assaubayeva produced a remarkably consistent performance against an elite field featuring Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun, Anna Muzychuk, Humpy Koneru, Zhu Jiner, and Divya Deshmukh.
Already a two-time Women’s World Blitz Champion and one of the best players in the world, Assaubayeva demonstrated excellent form throughout the tournament, remaining unbeaten in classical play till she secured a first place, already before the final round of the event. She finished on 16.5 points, narrowly ahead of Zhu Jiner, with Anna Muzychuk taking third place.
The open section also delivered a dramatic finish. India’s R. Praggnanandhaa completed a remarkable late surge, winning his final four classical games to overtake the field and capture the title. His victories against several of the world’s strongest players capped an outstanding performance and secured one of the most memorable tournament wins we have seen in the chess world in a while.
Norway Chess Women continues to set an important standard for elite women’s events. The tournament offers the same prize fund as the open competition. The commitment to equal prize money reflects the event’s strong support for women’s chess and its place among the premier tournaments on the international calendar.
Beyond the competition itself, Norway Chess 2026 also showcased the growing presence of women in key leadership and media roles. One of the key people in the team of the tournament is Benedicte Westre Skog, the COO of Norway Chess and a member of our Commission as well. Moreover, the tournament’s Chief Arbiter was Anastasia Sorokina, Chair of the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess, while Ulkar Umudova, also a member of the Commission, was a Deputy Arbiter.
Women were equally visible behind the microphone, with IM Jovanka Houska, IM Tania Sachdev, and IM Anna Rudolf contributing to the tournament’s live commentary and coverage. Their presence not only enriches the broadcast with high-level chess expertise but also provides important role models for girls and women in chess. Seeing women excel as arbiters, organizers, commentators, and players helps demonstrate the many pathways available within the chess world and contributes to greater visibility and representation.
Combining elite competition, equal prize funds, and strong female representation across playing, officiating, and media roles, Norway Chess 2026 provided a powerful showcase of the progress and opportunities that continue to shape modern chess.
Photos by Norway Chess
