Uzbekistan secured gold in the Open competition at the record-breaking Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, defeating Ukraine in the final round of a tournament that brought together almost 400 national teams. Germany won bronze, while India took silver and several European teams finished among the leading contenders.
The result gave Uzbekistan its second Open Chess Olympiad title after its earlier victory in Chennai in 2022. Hosting the event added significance to the achievement, as the Uzbek team completed an outstanding campaign in front of a home crowd.
Uzbekistan claims second Open Chess Olympiad title
The Open competition featured 205 teams, with players competing across 11 rounds. Uzbekistan collected 20 of a possible 22 match points, winning 10 matches and losing only once, against eventual bronze medallists Germany.
During its successful run, Uzbekistan defeated several of the strongest teams in the field, including defending champions India, China and the United States, which entered the tournament as the top-seeded team.
India finished with the silver medal, while Germany earned bronze. Germany’s result was particularly notable because it was the country’s first Open team medal at the Chess Olympiad since 2000, when it won silver in Istanbul.
Abdusattorov and Sindarov lead the hosts
Nodirbek Abdusattorov played a central role in Uzbekistan’s victory. Competing on the team’s first board, where he generally faced the strongest player from each opposing side, he completed the tournament without losing a game and also received an individual gold medal for his performance.
Javokhir Sindarov was another important member of the winning squad. After the victory, he described winning the tournament at home as a distinctive experience and said the team believed it had performed at the highest level.
Sindarov will face another major challenge later in 2026. Following his victory in the Candidates Tournament, he is scheduled to challenge India’s Gukesh Dommaraju for the world title in Geneva from 22 November to 12 December. Both players will be 20 when the match begins, making it the youngest World Championship contest in chess history.
European teams feature strongly in the final standings
The Samarkand tournament also produced a strong showing from European chess nations. Hungary, France and Spain all finished inside the top 10, while Germany secured the third-place medal. Azerbaijan and Armenia were also among the leading teams.
The results underline the depth of international team chess, where a country’s final position depends on the combined performances of several players rather than a single individual. A team must consistently score points across multiple boards and rounds, often against opponents with different playing styles and ranking profiles.
How the Chess Olympiad works
Organised by the International Chess Federation, known as FIDE, the Chess Olympiad is the leading global team competition in chess. Unlike many major tournaments, competitors represent national teams rather than playing solely as individuals.
In each match, four players from one country face four players from another at the same time. The individual game results are combined to determine the match winner. Teams then meet different opponents over 11 rounds, with the overall standings based on their accumulated match points.
- Players compete for national teams.
- Four boards are contested simultaneously in each match.
- Teams face different opponents over 11 rounds.
- Match results combine the outcomes of the individual games.
China wins the women’s competition
China won gold in the women’s competition, while Kazakhstan finished second and defending champions India took bronze. The women’s event included 189 teams.
Indian grandmaster Koneru Humpy was part of the bronze-medal-winning team. The competition attracted significant attention from spectators and chess followers, reflecting the broad international interest surrounding the Olympiad.
Record participation and a change at FIDE
The event in Samarkand was the biggest Chess Olympiad to date. The Open and women’s competitions together included 394 teams, with hundreds of games taking place during the same event in the host city.
The tournament also coincided with a leadership change at FIDE. Timur Turlov, then president of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, was elected president of the international governing body at its General Assembly in Samarkand. At 38, he became the youngest person to hold the position.
At the closing ceremony, the Olympiad flag was passed to representatives of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi is scheduled to host the 47th Chess Olympiad in 2028.
Why the result matters
Uzbekistan’s home victory highlights the country’s growing strength in international chess and adds another major achievement to its recent record. The tournament also demonstrated the expanding global reach of the sport, with teams from more than 190 countries competing in a single event.
For European chess, Germany’s bronze medal and the strong finishes by Hungary, France, Spain, Azerbaijan and Armenia provide evidence of continued competitiveness across the region. The next major focus will turn to the world championship match between Sindarov and Gukesh, which will bring two of the sport’s youngest elite players together in Geneva.
Conclusion
Uzbekistan’s victory is the defining result of the record-breaking Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. Its second Open title, achieved on home soil against a field of 205 teams, confirms the country’s place among the leading powers in world chess, while the strong European performances and the upcoming world championship underline the sport’s international momentum.
