A classical encounter between two elite players took place on board 5 of round 7 at the KazChess Masters Almaty 2026. GM Aram Hakobyan, commanding the white pieces, secured victory over GM Mahammad Muradli after a lengthy 62-move struggle.
The contest unfolded through the Queen's Gambit Declined: Barmen Variation, a sophisticated opening that led to a complex middlegame and endgame battle. Hakobyan's patient play ultimately proved decisive against his higher-rated opponent.