Cover Stories with Chess Life #49: WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova

photo courtesy SLCC / Bryan Adams

Today’s guest on "Cover Stories with Chess Life" is one of the authors of our December cover story on the 2022 FIDE Olympiad. She is our Women’s top board, WGM Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova.

Begim, as she is often called, was born in Uzbekistan, and saw chess success at a young age, winning the U12 bronze at the World Youth in 2011. After earning both her WIM title and WGM title in 2015, her success continued, representing her country at the 2016 and 2018 Olympiads, and winning the Uzbek Women’s Championship in 2018.

After coming to America to study at the University of Missouri and play on their chess team, Begim became a fixture in American chess. She competed in the 2021 and 2022 U.S. Women’s Championships, finishing second in 2021 and in the middle of the pack this year, and she held down the top board for the Women’s Olympiad team in Chennai, telling her story to Chess Life readers in our November issue.

US Chess Podcasts

Fire up your favorite podcast service and add the entire family of US Chess podcasts to your playlist. Each week, US Chess brings you a new program with interesting guests discussing informative topics on all aspects of chess--from top players around the world to innovators of the game in your own backyard. Follow the links below to find and learn more about each podcast.

Cover Stories With Chess Life, Hosted By John Hartmann

This monthly podcast, hosted by Chess Life and Chess Life Online Editor John Hartmann, goes in depth and behind the scenes of each month’s Chess Life cover story.

Podcast website | iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts

One Move At A Time, Hosted By Dan Lucas

On One Move at a Time, Dan Lucas, the Senior Director of Strategic Communication, talks to people who are advancing the US Chess mission statement to “Empower people, enrich lives, and enhance communities through chess.”

Podcast website | iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Ladies Knight, Hosted By WGM Jennifer Shahade

Ladies Knight is hosted by WGM Jennifer Shahade, two-time US Women’s Chess Champion, featuring female chess champions and leaders. Jennifer Shahade is the Women’s Program director at US Chess.

Podcast website | iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts

Chess Underground, Hosted By Pete Karagianis

Chess Underground is the show that explores eccentricities, peculiarities, and theoretical novelties. The Chess Underground is hosted by NM Pete Karagianis, the US Chess Assistant Director of Events

Podcast website | iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts