Germany Upsets the U.S. at Chess Olympiad; India and Uzbekistan Impress
In a surprising turn of events at the ongoing 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Germany triumphed over the top-seeded U.S. team with a score of 2.5-1.5, following a remarkable victory by grandmaster Frederik Svane against Hans Niemann. This win placed Germany alongside Uzbekistan, who achieved a stunning 4-0 victory over Hungary, and India, who outmatched the Netherlands with a 3-1 win. India’s breakout star, GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, pulled off an exciting win against GM Anish Giri, while World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju capitalized on a mistake by GM Erwin l’Ami. Meanwhile, China faced a tough match against Armenia, concluding with all draws.
The Women’s section mirrored the excitement of the Open, with defending champions India suffering a loss to Poland for the third consecutive Olympiad. Poland took the day with IM Aleksandra Maltsevskaya securing the only win against GM Vaishali Rameshbabu. Along with Poland, China, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan are the only teams left with perfect scores. The United States managed to salvage a 2-2 draw, thanks to a late win from IM Alice Lee after WGM Afruza Khamdamova defeated IM Carissa Yip.
The sixth round, the last before the rest day, is set for Monday, September 21, starting at 6:15 a.m. ET / 12:15 CEST / 3:45 p.m. IST.
Open Section: Germany Stuns U.S., Uzbekistan and India Keep Winning
Germany’s 2.5-1.5 victory over the United States marked a significant upset. Now, three teams—Uzbekistan, India, and Germany—have perfect scores of 10 points after five rounds, while several others trail closely behind.
Round 5 Results | Open Top 10
Only Uzbekistan, India, and Germany remain unbeaten, with five other teams a point behind.
Open Standings After Round 5: Top 29 Teams
| Position | Seed | Country | Team | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | UZB | Uzbekistan | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 2 | 2 | IND | India | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 3 | 5 | GER | Germany | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
Svane’s crucial win against Niemann is highlighted as our Game of the Day.
In the upcoming sixth round, the expected showdown is between Uzbekistan, the 2022 champions and hosts, against 2024 champions India. Germany will face China after their impressive win over the U.S.
Women’s Section: Poland Bests India; Leaders Narrow
Poland continued to be a thorn in India’s side, defeating them once again. As noted by GM David Howell, Poland has emerged as a formidable opponent in recent Olympiads.
Round 5 Results: Women’s Top 10
Poland, China, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan remain the only teams without losses in the Women’s competition.
Women’s Standings After Round 5: Top 30
| Position | Seed | Country | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | POL | Poland | 10 |
| 2 | 4 | CHN | China | 10 |
| 3 | 3 | KAZ | Kazakhstan | 10 |
| 4 | 7 | AZE | Azerbaijan | 10 |
Both Poland and Kazakhstan are set to meet in what will be an important match for maintaining their perfect records, alongside a clash between India and the U.S.
Overview
The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad is taking place from September 16-27, 2026, featuring teams from around the world. Matches consist of five players per team in a Swiss system. In each game, players have 90 minutes, with an additional 30 minutes after move 40 and a 30-second increment per move.
Stay tuned for more updates as the tournament unfolds!
