KazChess Masters Almaty 2026: Three Leaders After Round 4

Denis Lazavik, Denis Makhnev and Edgar Mamedov share the lead with 3 points from 4 games at the KazChess Masters 2026 in Almaty.

The KazChess Masters 2026 is under way in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and after four rounds three players share the lead.

The KazChess Masters is a 10-player round robin, which means every player meets every other player once over nine rounds. The games are classical: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 30 more minutes, with 30 seconds added for every move.

GM Denis Lazavik, GM Denis Makhnev and GM Edgar Mamedov all have 3 points from 4 games. In round 4, Lazavik beat GM Shamsiddin Vokhidov in an Italian Game, while Makhnev drew a long 101-move game against GM Mahammad Muradli.

GM Daniil Dubov and IM Mark Smirnov are half a point behind on 2.5 points. Dubov drew a 101-move game with Mamedov in round 4, and Smirnov won his game against IM Sauat Nurgaliyev.

Some of the top seeds have had a difficult start. Vokhidov has 2 points, GM Aram Hakobyan 1.5 and Muradli 1, but with five rounds still to play, there is plenty of time for them to recover.

Long games have been a feature of the event so far. Two games in round 4 went past 100 moves, which shows how hard the players are fighting even when the position looks equal.

For young players, this is a good reminder that a game is not over until it is over. Many points are won and lost late in the game, when players are tired and the clock is running low.

ChessDaily will report the final result when the tournament finishes.