3 min readMar 24, 2026 05:31 PM IST
Three World blitz titles in her pocket, and Bibisara Assaubayeva, at her all time career high ELO rating is working hard to seal the Contenders title at Cyprus over the classical format.
She celebrated her peak rating of 2516 this month, talking about what goes into her champion handbag as she traverses the world claiming titles. The 22-year-old, who won the blitz world titles in 2021, 2022, 2025, took to Instagram to talk about what goes into her handbag, which itself was a salmon pink wishlist. “It’s a gift and I love it because of the flower on it,” a crown daisy trimming giant broad clutch bag.
“First is my wallet, it’s my favourite, so carry it everywhere,” she would say. She would then take out a Hand cream – a black vanilla, from Zielinski & Rozen, “for an amazing smell and I love the black colour and I use it everyday.”
Bibisara ‘Sarah’ would then bring out a lip balm. “From Charlotte Tilbury. It has peach oil, a recommendation from my mom.”
There were also Napkins and a refresher perfume. “Also few pieces for my teeth,” Chewing gum of different flavours.
There was also oil for nails, given chess players’ hands get photographed very often. ”
I travel a lot and can go to salon only when I’m at home, but I’m usually not at home, so I just do it (manicure) myself,” she would say.
A hair scrunchie, completed the contents.
Having gone off social media briefly, Bibisara would emerge two days ago with random shots of bowling alleys, wedding bouquets from ceremonies she attended, a birthday spent at an aquarium with scuba divers wishing her with posters, and camels transported in trucks. There were also elegant displays of chess boards in a haute showroom, shadow on tennis courts, new additions to her hand trinkets, Starbucks coffee and a cat.
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Not a big fan of discussing chess games preparations with other GMs, she would tell FIDE at the Freestyle at Las Vegas, “It’s interesting but I realised at Vegas that it’s not always helpful. When they discuss something it’s not usually the best position,” she recalled. She listened to Hans Niemann and played a move, and promptly lost. “I don’t know why I listened. I think he also played something like that and lost. Bad idea,” she chortled.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
