Uzbekistan Favourites Position Strongly for Olympiad in Samarkand

Event Overview

The 208-team biennial chess Olympiad is set to commence in Samarkand, where the opening ceremony takes place on Tuesday and the first round of 11 games begins on Wednesday. As the host nation, Uzbekistan stands as the clear frontrunner in the competition.

Defending Champions and Their Challenges

India, China, and the United States are identified as the most dangerous rivals for the host nation. While India remains a formidable contender, recent developments suggest a period of instability for their star player, Gukesh Dommaraju. Although he was recognized as the top board gold medallist in Budapest two years prior, his current form appears shaky, potentially pushing him further down the ranking order in Samarkand.

American Strategy and Vulnerabilities

The United States brings elite talent such as World No 3 Fabiano Caruana and World No 5 Wesley So to the event. However, the team’s lower boards present risks, notably featuring Hans Niemann, whose variability adds complexity to the matchups.

Key Figures

• Uzbekistan: Host nation and primary favorites.
• India: Defending champions facing potential form issues.
• United States: Led by Caruana and So, with nuanced challenges in deeper brackets.

Source

This report is based on information published by The Guardian — Chess.

Official source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/sep/11/chess-uzbekistan-favourites-olympiad-england-face-fight-top-15-spot