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Türkiye's 15-year-old chess player Beren Kalyoncu is preparing for her first FIDE Chess Olympiad after winning a European schools title and earning the Woman FIDE Master (WFM) title earlier this year.
Kalyoncu, who lives in Gaziantep's Sahinbey district, will represent Türkiye at the 46th FIDE World Chess Olympiad, set to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from Sept. 17 to 27.
"I am taking part in the Olympiad for the first time. I aim to win and I want to help our national team achieve a good result," Kalyoncu told Anadolu Agency.
Kalyoncu took up chess at the age of 9 after being inspired by her older brother and joined Türkiye's national team only a year later. At 11, she finished second in Europe before going on to collect medals and trophies at a range of tournaments.
Her progress also brought international titles. At 13, she earned the Woman Candidate Master (WCM) title, while another breakthrough came at the 2026 European School Chess Championship in Trogir, Croatia, held from April 26 to May 6.
Kalyoncu finished first in the girls' under-15 category to become European champion and also placed fourth in the tournament's overall category.
Her performance at the 38th International Pula Open Chess Tournament then earned her the Woman FIDE Master (WFM) title on July 3, marking another step forward in her career.
Following her invitation to the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Kalyoncu said representing both Gaziantep and Türkiye made her proud.
She said being among Türkiye's five strongest female chess players was particularly meaningful and added that preparations for the tournament were continuing through detailed analysis of potential opponents alongside her coach.
Kalyoncu also pointed to patience and discipline as central parts of the sport, saying players needed to work hard but first had to enjoy chess.
"Whenever I have a bad tournament or feel bad, it gives me experience. If my performance in a tournament is high, I can also raise my norm. From now on, I am moving forward step by step to earn the WGM title. Hopefully, I will achieve my goals. I thank everyone who supports me," she said.
Fevzi Gursel, general manager of the private school Kalyoncu attends, said the young player had consistently stood out through both her achievements and determination.
Gursel said the school had grown accustomed to celebrating her successes, adding that Kalyoncu worked with the same commitment in areas beyond chess and that they expected even greater achievements from her in the future.
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