Bibisara Assaubayeva to face ex-world champion for Cairns Cup title
Kazakh grandmaster Bibisara Assaubayeva secured a crucial win in the penultimate seventh round of the prestigious Cairns Cup 2026 super tournament in St. Louis, USA, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Playing with white pieces, the three-time world blitz champion Assaubayeva defeated Greece's Stavroula Tsolakidou in the seventh round. As a result, she moved to 4.5 points and secured second place in the interim standings.
The crown will be decided in the eighth, final round, where the Kazakh player will face tournament leader Tan Zhongyi of China, who has 5.5 points.
Tan Zhongyi is one of the world's strongest female players and the 16th Women's World Chess Champion, holding the title in 2017–2018.
The Cairns Cup, a prestigious annual women's chess tournament in St. Louis, features a $250,000 prize fund.
This is another top-level appearance for Bibisara Assaubayeva, who has represented Kazakhstan at the highest level and was the silver medalist at the Women's Candidates Tournament 2026.
Qazinform News Agency previously reported that Assaubayeva had been ranked among the world’s top 5 women chess players for the first time.