Chess Olympiad 2026 Begins in Samarkand with Upsets and Dominant Wins

The 46th Chess Olympiad has started in Samarkand, showcasing 206 teams in the open section and 190 in the women's section. The tournaments consist of 11 rounds, with teams competing on four boards each round, including a reserve player.

In the opening round, all top 30 seeded teams achieved victories, with 17 winning 4–0. However, an upset occurred when Prin Laohawirapap from Thailand defeated India's Arjun Erigaisi. The only other notable result was Botswana, seeded 133rd, drawing with Brazil, which was seeded 31st.

Among the highest-rated players in the competition are Fabiano Caruana and Wesley So from the United States, along with Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov. The reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju is representing India on the fourth board.