India Competes in Chess Olympiad 2026 in Uzbekistan
The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad is currently underway in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, running from September 15 to 27. The opening ceremony has already taken place, with the first round scheduled for September 16.
India enters the competition as the defending champion in both the Open and Women’s sections, having won gold medals in Budapest in 2024. Approximately 200 national teams are participating in the event. The tournament format consists of 11 rounds played under the Swiss system, with each team fielding five players, four of whom compete in each round.
India's Open team is captained by Srinath Narayanan and includes notable players such as R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh. The women's team, led by captain Swayams Mishra, features players like Koneru Humpy and R Vaishali. India is the top seed in the women's section and aims to defend its titles against strong competitors, including hosts Uzbekistan and the USA.
