Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The 46th World Chess Olympiad has begun in Samarkand, with most of the favourites winning their opening-round matches. The main upset came in the match between India and Thailand, where Thailand’s Prin Laohawirapap defeated Indian team leader Arjun Erigaisi. A total of 207 teams are registered in the open tournament and 191 in the women’s event, according to the official website of the World Chess Olympiad.
The competition began at 15:00 local time following a brief welcome by chief arbiter Ivan Syrovoy. Five-time world champion and FIDE interim president Viswanathan Anand made the ceremonial first move on the top board of the open tournament on behalf of Jamaican player Joshua Christie, who faced Uzbekistan’s leading chess player, Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
In the women’s tournament, Alisher Sadullaev, first vice-president of the Uzbekistan Chess Federation, made the ceremonial first move on behalf of Uzbek player Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova, who played against Shemila James of Trinidad and Tobago.
Alongside the sporting programme, the opening day featured activities for fans and participants. At the EXPO area, connected to the exit from the playing arena, spectators could meet chess players after their games, obtain autographs and take photographs. Games and grandmaster commentary continued to be shown on a large screen.
National elements in team attire also attracted attention. In addition to the usual T-shirts, polo shirts and sports jackets, some teams wore uniforms featuring players’ names. The women’s tournament included various designs and traditional clothing. Organisers also introduced a special prize for the most elegantly dressed team.
In the open tournament, several favourites began with convincing victories. The United States, seeded first, defeated Iraq 3.5-0.5. Fabiano Caruana did not play in the opening round, while Wesley So secured a win for the team. Levon Aronian drew on the third board, and Hans Niemann won on the second board in 23 moves.
Argentina also recorded a comprehensive victory, defeating Kenya 4-0. Twelve-year-old Faustino Oro played on the top board for Argentina and won his game in 22 moves.
Brazil were unable to defeat Botswana despite a significant rating advantage among their players. The match ended in a 2-2 draw.
The biggest upset of the opening round came in the game between Arjun Erigaisi and Prin Laohawirapap. Playing with the black pieces, the Thai representative defeated one of India’s leading players. India, the reigning world champions, nevertheless began the tournament with a 3-1 victory over Thailand.
For much of the game, Erigaisi maintained the more favourable position but made a tactical error in the endgame. Instead of 50.Qf4!, which would have protected his king and preserved an extra pawn, the Indian grandmaster played 50.Qg7??.
After 50…Qh1+ 51.Kg4 Re4+ 52.Rf4 Qd1+, Black launched a decisive attack on White’s king. Following 53.Kg3 Qg1+ 54.Kh3 Re3+, Erigaisi resigned.
In the women’s tournament, all five top-seeded teams began with victories. India defeated the Dominican Republic 4-0, Georgia beat Tunisia 4-0, Kazakhstan defeated Botswana 4-0, China beat Zambia 4-0, and the United States defeated Andorra 4-0.
Uzbekistan’s women’s team faced Trinidad and Tobago. Playing White against Zara La Fleur, Umida Omonova found herself in a difficult position but capitalised on her opponent’s mistakes to secure a full point for Uzbekistan.
In the open tournament, Uzbekistan made a strong start by defeating Jamaica 4-0. China also beat Uganda 4-0, while Germany defeated the Faroe Islands by the same score.
The opening round in Samarkand therefore combined confident starts by leading teams with several unexpected results, the most notable being Erigaisi’s defeat on the top board in the India-Thailand match.
