Uzbekistan Faces India in Chess Olympiad Challenge

The Chess Olympiad in Samarkand sees Uzbekistan's men's team facing a significant challenge as they aim to reclaim the title they won four years ago in India. The event features 399 teams competing in an 11-round classical tournament.

Uzbekistan, under the pressure of home expectations, will contend with the defending champions, India, who have previously halted India's winning streak in the last two editions of the tournament. The team is now led by Rustam Kasimdzhanov and includes top-rated player Javokhir Sindarov.

India's men's team, despite having a strong lineup including world champion D Gukesh, is not the top seed in the open event, a title held by the USA. The women's team, however, is the top seed due to the absence of a full-strength Chinese team and Russia's ban from team competitions.