13yo Kazakh chess player stuns Serbian GM Sarana

With a rating of 2386 and ranked 10th, a 13-year-old Danis Kuandykov of Kazakhstan faced five foreign grandmasters rated between 2639 and 2683.

In the 8th round, playing white against Serbian GM Alexey Sarana (2683), Danis produced a dramatic game. At one point, computer analysis gave him a +10 advantage. Despite being half Sarana’s age, Danis Kuandykov found precise moves in the endgame, forcing the grandmaster to resign.

Danis Kuandykov is already a two-time cadet world champion (2023 U10, 2025 U12). He finished with 4 points, gained over 26 rating points, and earned 1.5 million tenge in prize money. He also held his own against other grandmasters, scoring additional points in the final round.

The KazChess Masters Nauryz tournament brought together 10 players, five foreign and five Kazakh talents, including Danis Kuandykov (13), Sauvat Nurgaliyev (15), Daniyal Sapenov and Yergali Suleimen (17), and Meruert Kamalidenova (20). The average rating was 2534, making it a Category XII event.

GM Pranav Venkatesh (India) scored 7.5 points to get the tournament title and earn a 7 million tenge prize.

GM Shamsiddin Vokhidov (Uzbekistan) finished second with 6 points, while GM Benjamin Gledura (Hungary) rounded out the top three with 5 points.

Then comes GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara (Mexico) with 5 points and GM Alexey Sarana (Serbia) with 4.5 points.

Kazakh players placed 6th–10th, but the federation emphasized the value of experience gained against world-class opponents.

Meanwhile, the children’s tournament drew participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Competitions were held in U14 and U10 categories, with Shymkent-1 winning the team event.

The dual tournaments showcased Kazakhstan’s chess development pipeline — from young beginners to international-level competition.

It is worth reminding, Young Kazakhstani chess player confirmed International Master title.