Bibisara Assaubayeva claims bronze at Cairns Cup 2026 in U.S.
Kazakhstan's three-time world blitz chess champion Bibisara Assaubayeva finished among the top three at the prestigious Cairns Cup 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The nine-round round-robin tournament brought together 10 of the world's leading female chess players. Assaubayeva finished with five points after recording two wins, six draws, and just one loss.
Her only defeat came in the eighth round against eventual champion Tan Zhongyi of China. In the final round, the Kazakh chess player faced India's Humpy Koneru with the white pieces, drawing the game after 35 moves to secure a share of third place.
The Cairns Cup featured a total prize fund of $250,000. Tan Zhongyi topped the standings with 6.5 points to earn $65,000, while American Alice Lee finished second with six points and received $50,000. Assaubayeva and the United States' Carissa Yip tied for third with five points each, taking home $35,000 apiece.
Meanwhile, American grandmaster Wesley So won the men's Sinquefield Cup 2026, held alongside the Cairns Cup, while Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov finished third.
Qazinform News Agency previously reported that Assaubayeva had been ranked among the world’s top 5 women chess players for the first time.