India Prepares for Samarkand Chess Olympiad

The 46th Chess Olympiad is set to commence in Samarkand on Wednesday, featuring 208 nations in the open section and 191 in the women's section. The tournament will unfold over 11 rounds, concluding on September 27.

India, a strong contender in both categories, aims to build on its success from the previous Olympiad in Budapest. Despite some squad changes and concerns regarding player D. Gukesh's recent performance, the team remains optimistic. Gukesh, who previously excelled in the last two Olympiads, will be joined by R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, and Vidit Gujrathi.

The Indian women's team, seeded first, benefits from the return of veteran player Koneru Humpy, who is eager to contribute after missing the Budapest event. Other key players include Divya Deshmukh, R. Vaishali, Vantika Agrawal, and debutant B. Savitha Shri. India anticipates strong competition from teams like Uzbekistan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, and China.