46th Chess Olympiad Samarkand 2026: Results and Highlights

The 46th Chess Olympiad came to a close in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on September 27, 2026. After 11 rounds of team chess, the final day decided the medals in both the Open and Women's sections.

For the hosts, the ending was especially memorable: Uzbekistan won the Open section on home soil. China took gold in the Women's section, while India finished with a medal in both competitions.

Samarkand 2026: The Final Podium

In the Open section, Uzbekistan took gold, followed by India in silver and Germany in bronze. In the Women's section, China won gold, Kazakhstan took silver, and India completed the podium with bronze.

Uzbekistan Wins the Open Section

Uzbekistan entered the final round at the top of the standings and faced Ukraine in a match that would decide the title. The first three boards all ended in draws, leaving the fourth board to decide the match.

Mukhiddin Madaminov defeated Ukraine's Roman Dehtiarov, giving Uzbekistan a 2.5–1.5 victory and the Open gold medal. It was Uzbekistan's second Olympiad title, after their victory in Chennai in 2022.

India Takes Open Silver

India finished the Open section with a 2–2 draw against Hungary in the final round. Arjun Erigaisi defeated Peter Leko, while Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin drew their games. Hungary's Gleb Dudin defeated Gukesh D on the fourth board.

The result was enough for India to secure the silver medal, with Germany taking bronze.

China Wins the Women's Section

China finished first in the Women's section after defeating Vietnam 3–1 in the final round. Kazakhstan secured silver after drawing 2–2 with Poland, while India took bronze after a 2–2 draw with Georgia.

Two Notable Moments from Samarkand

The final rounds also produced some memorable chess. Rather than going through the tournament game by game, here are two positions that capture important moments from the closing stages.

Humpy Finds a Stunning Tactical Finish

One of the sharpest moments came from Humpy Koneru vs. Nana Dzagnidze. Humpy found the tactical 19.Nf6+!, immediately opening lines around the black king.

After 19...gxf6 20.Qxh6, White's attack became increasingly dangerous. Humpy continued with Bh7+ and Bf5+, before finishing the combination with 24.Rg3+. Dzagnidze resigned, and FIDE highlighted the position as its “Position of the Day.”

The Move That Helped Seal Uzbekistan's Gold

The second position comes from the game that ultimately decided the Open title: Roman Dehtiarov vs. Mukhiddin Madaminov.

The position above was reached after 46...Kd4. Madaminov's king steps into the centre as the game enters a critical endgame phase.

Madaminov eventually converted the advantage and won the game. Since the other three games in the Uzbekistan–Ukraine match were drawn, this victory gave Uzbekistan the decisive 2.5–1.5 match win and the Open gold medal.

Standout Performances

Nodirbek Abdusattorov finished unbeaten and earned the individual gold medal on board one. Madaminov also remained unbeaten, scoring 5.5/7 and providing the decisive win in the final round. For India, Arjun Erigaisi's victory over Peter Leko was an important contribution to the team's silver-medal finish.

A Memorable Finish in Samarkand

The 46th Chess Olympiad ended with Uzbekistan celebrating an Open gold medal on home soil, while China claimed the Women's title. India finished with silver in the Open section and bronze in the Women's section.

For the hosts, the final day was especially memorable: Madaminov's game was the one that delivered the final point and secured the Olympiad title.

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