2026 Chess Olympiad: India Defends Two Titles in Samarkand with Sindarov Challenge

FIDE has officially announced the schedule for the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The tournament will feature 11 rounds in the Swiss system in both the Open and Women's sections. India head into the event as defending champions in both categories, while Uzbekistan rely on home advantage and the rising star Javokhir Sindarov. India’s Open team includes world champion Gukesh D., Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi. Praggnanandhaa recently overtook Erigaisi to become India’s No.1 again and returned to the world top 10. The women’s team is also strong with Humpy Koneru, Divya Deshmukh, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Vantika Agrawal and Savitha Shri. The schedule places six consecutive rounds before a rest day, followed by five remaining rounds. The final round starts at 11:00 instead of 15:00 local time to make room for the closing ceremony. The dense calendar increases the importance of squad rotation and mental stamina. Sindarov faces extra pressure as both Uzbekistan’s main hope and Gukesh’s challenger in the upcoming world title match. The Olympiad will test not only individual skills but also the collective ability of each team to manage fatigue, expectations and critical moments.