Uzbekistan win Chess Olympiad gold at home in Samarkand as China take the women's title and FIDE elects a new president
Uzbekistan won the open Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, China took women's gold and Kazakhstan's Timur Turlov was elected FIDE president.
Chess's biggest team event ended with a home win. Uzbekistan won the open section of the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand on 27 September. They beat Ukraine 2.5-1.5 in the final round to take their second Olympiad title, after their first in Chennai in 2022, FIDE reports.
How the final day unfolded
Uzbekistan went into round 11 in control, but the title still came down to one game. Reserve player GM Mukhiddin Madaminov beat GM Roman Dehtiarov in a sharp rook endgame to secure the decisive point, Chess.com reported. Madaminov finished unbeaten on 5.5/7.
"We played this tournament very well, all players performed fantastic, so that's why I'm very happy to be part of this team, and it's not our last gold medal," he told Chess.com.
Open section podium:
- Uzbekistan – gold (Hamilton-Russell Cup)
- India – silver, after a 2-2 draw with Hungary
- Germany – bronze, after a 2.5-1.5 win over the Netherlands
Uzbekistan's top board, GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, won individual gold with a 2869 performance rating. Four members of the 2022 gold-winning team were in this year's line-up.
China rule the women's section
China won the women's title with a 3-1 win over Vietnam in the last round.
- China – gold
- Kazakhstan – silver, after a 2-2 draw with Poland
- India – bronze, on tiebreak after a 2-2 draw with Georgia
GM Zhu Jiner led China on board one with an unbeaten 7/9. Sixteen-year-old IM Lu Miaoyi, also unbeaten, scored 9.5/11 on board three. Both won individual gold. India took the Gaprindashvili Cup for the best combined result across both sections.
How Southeast Asia fared
In the final open-section standings on Chess-Results, Malaysia finished 78th with 12 match points. The region's other teams placed as follows:
- Vietnam – 19th (15 match points)
- Philippines – 32nd (14)
- Indonesia – 35th (14)
- Singapore – 37th (14)
Vietnam also won the open section's Category B prize at the closing ceremony, and their women's team met eventual champions China in the final round.
A new FIDE president
The Olympiad also hosted the FIDE General Assembly, which elected a new leader. Timur Turlov, president of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, won the election on 26 September. He took 110 votes to 85 in a second-round run-off against Germany's Wadim Rosenstein, FIDE said. In the first round, Turlov had 96 votes, Rosenstein 76 and Jan Henric Buettner 20.
At 38, Turlov is the second-youngest FIDE president in history. He succeeds Arkady Dvorkovich, who served two terms from 2018 to 2026. "We are all one family, and we will continue working as one," Turlov said. FIDE announced the full make-up of its 2026–2030 Council on 28 September.
The Olympiad closed with fireworks and a drone light show. The United Arab Emirates will host the 47th Chess Olympiad in 2028.
Key takeaways
- Uzbekistan won open-section gold at home, with India second and Germany third.
- China won the women's section, ahead of Kazakhstan and India.
- Malaysia finished 78th in the open section with 12 match points.
- Timur Turlov was elected FIDE president, and the UAE will host the 2028 Olympiad.
FAQ
Where is the next Chess Olympiad? In the United Arab Emirates in 2028.
Who is the new FIDE president? Timur Turlov of Kazakhstan, who succeeds Arkady Dvorkovich.
How many rounds does the Olympiad have? Eleven rounds in the Swiss system, played in Samarkand from 16 to 27 September this year.
Sources: FIDE, Chess.com, Chess-Results