~ Several of the top teams remain unbeaten after another action-packed day in both sections at the Samarkand Expo venue
"VAN" (Sports Desk - 20.09.2026) :: Four rounds are now in the books, and the Chess Olympiad is beginning to reveal its first clear patterns. The leading teams are starting to separate themselves from the pack, but the margins remain narrow at the top, with several heavyweight encounters producing hard-fought battles.
In the Open section, China, the host nation Uzbekistan, Germany, Armenia, the USA, India, the Netherlands, and Hungary remain perfect, winning all four starting matches.
The Women’s section is equally competitive, with a large group still boasting perfect records after another day of convincing victories. India, Kazakhstan, China and the USA all maintained their winning runs, while a number of individual players have also emerged with flawless scores.
Let’s take a closer look at the action from the playing hall.
The fourth round began with a minute of silence in memory of Georgios Makropoulos, a longstanding figure in FIDE leadership and a devoted servant of chess.
As President of the Greek Chess Federation, Makropoulos played a key role in bringing two Chess Olympiads to his native Thessaloniki, in 1984 and 1988. He was part of FIDE’s leadership from 1986, serving in several senior positions, including Deputy President and Vice President. He dedicated his life to the game and made a lasting contribution to chess both in Greece and internationally.
With the last-minute arrival of the Marshall Islands, the total number of teams in the Open section has risen to a record-breaking 206, while the Women’s section remains at 189 teams. A fitting milestone to coincide with the visit of Uzbekistan’s Prime Minister, Abdulla Aripov, who was present at the Olympiad on this historic day.
The Olympiad brings together, every two years, many of the best players in the world, as no one wants to miss this great chess festival. Yet not all of them are taking their seats at the board. As their playing careers enter a different phase, many Grandmasters transition into coaching and leadership roles, accompanying their teams as captains during the rounds.
A quiet walk around the venue allowed me to spot quite a few familiar faces, most of them formidable players in their own right. Perhaps the strongest of them is Teimour Radjabov, who has been among the world’s elite for the past 25 years. Still ranked number two in Azerbaijan, Radjabov has gradually stepped away from competitive classical chess and embraced a leadership role with the national team.
Former World Champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov is another prominent example, now helping guide a new generation of exceptionally strong Uzbek players. Other elite captains include Ivan Cheparinov (Türkiye; pictured above), Evgeny Bareev (Canada), Alexander Beliavsky (Ukraine), Jan Gustafsson (Germany) and Ivan Sokolov (Romania), alongside a large number of other seasoned Grandmasters who are now making their contribution from the sidelines.
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