ChessBase

• Uzbekistan triumph on home soil, collect second Olympiad gold

  Uzbekistan secured their second Chess Olympiad gold by beating Ukraine 2½–1½ in the final round in Samarkand. India took silver after drawing Hungary, while Germany claimed bronze and their first team medal since 2000 after beating the Netherlands. Nodirbek Abdusattorov won individual gold on board one, Frederik Svane repeated his individual success (also gold) from 2024, while Hungary's Gleb Dudin finished with five consecutive wins. | Photo: Nils Rohde / ChessBase

• Inaugural FIDE Excellence Awards celebrate the people and achievements shaping chess worldwide

  The inaugural FIDE Excellence Awards were presented in Samarkand during the 46th Chess Olympiad, recognising achievements across the chess world during the 2024–2026 cycle. Honours went to players, teams, tournaments, federations, creators and social initiatives, with recipients including Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, Levon Aronian, India’s Open and Women’s teams and ChessBase India. The remaining Best Chess Player awards will be presented separately at the Olympiad closing ceremony. | Photos: KNZO Photography

• Chess Olympiad - Live!

  The 46th edition of the Chess Olympiad is taking place on 16-27 September at the Silk Road EXPO in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. A record 208 teams in the open and 191 in the women's category are fighting for collective and individual medals. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 12.00 CEST (6.00 ET, 15.30 IST) | Pictured: Alexandra Kosteniuk from Switzerland by Michal Walusza / FIDE

• Samarkand R10 (open): Uzbekistan enter final round with one-point lead over India

  Uzbekistan will enter the final round of the Chess Olympiad with a one-point lead after beating Armenia 3½–½ in round ten. India remain their closest challengers following a clear victory over Uzbekistan 2, while Germany, Ukraine and Hungary are two points back. Ukraine will face the hosts directly on Sunday, with India meeting Hungary and Germany taking on the Netherlands. The decisive round will begin four hours earlier than usual, at 8.00 CEST. | Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz / FIDE

• Timur Turlov elected President of FIDE

  Timur Turlov, President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, was elected President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). The elections were held on 26 September at the FIDE General Assembly, alongside the 46th Chess Olympiad, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Turlov won in the second round, with 110 votes. At 38, he becomes the second youngest FIDE President ever elected. | Picture: ChessBase

• Samarkand R9 (open): Uzbekistan retake sole lead after beating the US

  Uzbekistan regained sole first place in the Chess Olympiad by beating top seeds United States 2½–1½ in round nine, with Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Nodirbek Yakubboev again providing the decisive points - like they did against China in round seven. India, Armenia and the over-achieving Uzbekistan 2 are one match point behind, the latter after a striking 3½–½ victory over the Netherlands. Two rounds remain in Samarkand. | Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz / FIDE

• On the Superfluity of Words (3)

  In his essay Christian Hesse - professor of mathematics and, no less importantly, a passionate lover of chess - brings together mathematical and chess problems that are complete and self-contained, problems that explain themselves and need no lengthy verbal instructions. Helmut Pfleger, grandmaster and medical researcher, tells us what he thinks of the subject.

• 7/7 points, rating performance 2955!

  We have seen a lot of great performances at the Olympiad in Samarkand – many great players have lived up to their high standards. But it is especially pleasing to see chess prodigies you have known and looked after since their early teens deliver the goods. Like this batch, who have been surging. One has scored in absolutely record-breaking style. You'll never guess who.

• Samarkand R8 (open): Germany stun Uzbekistan, join them in the lead

  Germany ended Uzbekistan's perfect run in round eight of the Chess Olympiad, beating the hosts 2½–1½ to join them on 14/16 match points. Brothers Frederik and Rasmus Svane (pictured) collected wins for Germany on the bottom boards for a second day in a row. Eight teams now sit only one point behind, including China, India, the United States and the Netherlands. With three rounds remaining, the standings have tightened considerably ahead of another set of direct clashes among the leading teams. | Photo: Michal Walusza / FIDE

• Bodhana Sivanandan: Chess and other passions

  Bodhana Sivanandan is only eleven years old, but in Samarkand she is already playing in her second Olympiad. And with considerable success: after seven rounds, she has scored six points on top board for the England women’s team, corresponding to an Elo performance of 2504. But when she spoke to Arne Kähler, chess was not the only passion they discussed.