ASTANA, November 8. /TASS/. Russia's Alexandra Goryachkina has clinched the second stage of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) Grand Prix series during the competition held in Kazakhstan's Shymkent.

In the final ninth round, Goryachkina tied against Bulgarian Nurgyul Salimova. Goryachkina scored seven points by the end of the tournament.

The first round of the FIDE Grand Prix was held in August in Tbilisi. Poland's Alina Kaszlinska won the opening round. Monaco will host the next stage on February 17-28.

The FIDE Grand Prix series consists of six stages, which determine the two best chess players to qualify for the Candidates Tournament in 2026. Each player must compete in three stages. Russia's Ekaterina Lagno won the previous series, with Goryachkina finishing in second place.