Turkmen Grandmaster Meylis Annaberdyev Wins Rigo Janos Memorial Tournament in Hungary
Turkmen grandmaster Meylis Annaberdyev claimed a convincing victory at the prestigious 5th Rigo Janos Memorial GM-B international chess tournament, held in Balatonlelle, Hungary, from June 20 to 26, 2026.
The event was played as a round-robin tournament with a time control of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move from move one. It was included in the FIDE international calendar, and the results were rated for international ranking purposes. Ten titled players from several countries took part in the competition.
After nine rounds, Annaberdyev, who entered the tournament with a FIDE rating of 2415, scored 6 points out of 9 to finish clear first. He secured victory against a strong field featuring grandmasters and international masters from Hungary, Belarus, Greece, India, and Poland.
As a result of his performance, the Turkmen grandmaster gained 12.1 FIDE rating points, the highest rating increase among the tournament's leading players.
Hungarian International Master Agoston Juhasz finished second with 5.5 points, while fellow Hungarian International Master Bendeguz Bodrogi also scored 5.5 points but placed third on tie-breaks.
The tournament was established in 2022 in memory of Janos Rigo (1948–2020), a renowned Hungarian chess organizer, International Master, and arbiter. The event traditionally attracts grandmasters, international masters, and promising young players seeking GM norms. The average rating in the GM groups is typically between 2400 and 2450.
Meylis Annaberdyev is regarded as one of the strongest chess players in the history of independent Turkmenistan. He earned the title of Grandmaster (GM) in 2022 and, at the time, held the highest FIDE rating among Turkmen players. His career-high FIDE rating of 2537 was achieved in November 2021. He comes from a renowned chess family, and his first and only coach has been his elder brother, Serdar Annaberdyev, an Honored Coach of Turkmenistan.
Among his major achievements are a team bronze medal in rapid chess at the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, a team gold medal in Category B with the Turkmenistan national team at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, and outstanding performances in major international open tournaments in Türkiye, including victory at the Mersin International Open 2025, as well as runner-up finishes at the Cappadocia Open 2025 and the Başkent University Open 2022.
Annaberdyev's triumph in Hungary is another testament to the strength of the Turkmen chess school and the continued success of Turkmen athletes on the international stage.
