Tohirjonova wins in Granada: Rating also increases significantly!

Uzbek international master Gulrukhbegim Tohirjonova achieved a brilliant result at the "Granada Chess Open 2026" tournament held in Spain. She scored 6 points in 9 rounds and took first place in the women's category.

Another important aspect of the victory is that the Uzbek chess player managed to increase her international rating by 9.1 points during the competition.

353 chess players from 48 countries participated

According to the Uzbekistan Chess Federation, the international tournament was held from July 28 to August 2 in Granada, Spain. 353 chess players from 48 countries of the world took part in the competition.

According to the official program of the tournament, the matches consisted of 9 rounds using the Swiss system. Each participant was given 90 minutes for the game, with an additional 30 seconds added after each move. The competitions were organized at the "Hotel Porcel Alixares" in Granada.

In such open tournaments, men and women play in a single general group. In the end, besides the overall result, separate winners are determined for women and other special categories.

6 points in 9 rounds — a 66.7% result

Tohirjonova scored 6 points at the end of the 9 rounds of the competition. This means she won two-thirds of the available points — approximately 66.7 percent .

Achieving such a result in the Swiss system with a strong international field is not easy. Because after the initial rounds, chess players with the same number of scores are paired against each other. As results improve, subsequent opponents also get stronger.

Nevertheless, the Uzbek chess player showed a stable game throughout the tournament and recorded the highest result among female participants.

What does the 9.1-point rating growth mean?

Tohirjonova started the tournament with an international rating of 2348. On the official list, she is registered as a representative of Uzbekistan and the holder of the international master — IM title.

Based on the competition results, her rating indicator increased by 9.1 points. In simple terms, her conditional performance indicator for the tournament itself reaches around 2357.1 points.

However, this figure does not immediately mean a new official rating. FIDE's next rating list may also include the results of other competitions held during this period. Nevertheless, the 9.1-point growth means that Tohirjonova performed better than expected based on her rating in Granada.

A trophy and prize money are set for the victory

According to the tournament regulations, the participant who took first place among women is scheduled to be awarded a trophy and a 150 euro cash prize.

100 euros and a trophy are provided for the second place, and 50 euros and a trophy for the third result. The total prize fund for all categories of the competition amounted to 13 thousand euros.

Tohirjonova's result is considered not the overall tournament championship, but the first place in the special women's standings. It is important to show this distinction clearly.

The prestige of the Granada chess tournament is growing

Although the "Granada Chess Open" is organized for the second time, in a short time it has become one of the major international chess competitions in southern Spain.

Before the start of the tournament, the administration of the Granada province announced that more than 350 chess players and representatives of 45 countries would participate. According to the final list, the Uzbekistan Chess Federation noted that the number of participants was 353, and the number of countries was 48.

The participation of a large number of participants, grandmasters, and international masters increased the value of each point. Tohirjonova finishing in first place in the women's standings in such competition further strengthens the significance of the result.

The next international result for Uzbek chess

In recent years, Uzbek chess players have regularly taken places among the prize-winners in major competitions among men, women, and youth.

Tohirjonova's victory in Granada became a continuation of this chain of results. This time she not only won first place but also significantly increased her international rating.

Now the main task is to consolidate the success in Spain in the next competitions and rise higher in the rating. And the 6 points in Granada once again demonstrated that Tohirjonova can show a stable result even in a strong international field.

Do you think Gulrukhbegim Tohirjonova can achieve the grandmaster title in the near future? Leave your opinion in the comments and share the article with sports fans on Telegram or other social networks!