"Dangerous Team." Uzbekistan's roster for the FIDE Olympiad in Samarkand has been announced.
"Dangerous Team": Uzbekistan's Team for the FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand Announced
Uzbekistan, Tashkent – Podrobno.uz News Agency.
At the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad, which will be held in Samarkand, the Uzbekistan team will be one of the main medal contenders. The team includes the country's strongest grandmasters.
The team rosters for the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad have been officially confirmed. The tournament, scheduled for September 15-27 in Samarkand, will bring together a record number of teams: 208 national teams in the open tournament and 192 women's teams.
As the host country, Uzbekistan ranks third in the opening rankings of the open tournament, behind only the United States and the reigning champions, India. However, the hosts are considered one of the most dangerous teams in the upcoming Olympiad. The Uzbekistan national team will feature Javokhir Sindarov, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Nodirbek Yakubboev, Shamsiddin Vohidov, and Mukhiddin Madaminov. Former FIDE World Champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov has been appointed team captain.
Most of the players have already won gold and bronze medals for their country at previous Olympiads. In 2022, the Uzbek team sensationally won gold in Chennai, and at the last Olympiad in Budapest, they took bronze. At that time, Shamsiddin Vohidov won the individual gold medal on his board.
In addition to the main team, Uzbekistan will field two more teams in the open tournament. These additional teams will provide an opportunity for young chess players to prove themselves.
The Uzbek team's main rivals will be the United States, India, and China. The Americans lead the starting list with Fabiano Caruana and Wesley So. India will arrive as the reigning leaders, featuring Arjun Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa, and world champion Gukesh Dommaraju. China will field a strong team featuring Wei Yi and former world champion Ding Liren.
In the women's tournament, India is the top seed, followed by Georgia, China, Kazakhstan, and the United States. The Uzbekistan women's team is seeded 13th. Its roster includes Afruza Khamdamova, Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova, Nilufarkhon Imomkuzieva, Umida Omonova, and Guldona Karimova. Nafisa Muminova is the team captain.
The participants will play 11 classical rounds. The opening ceremony of the Olympiad will take place on September 15, with the first games beginning on September 16. As a reminder, during the FIDE General Assembly in Samarkand, representatives of nearly 200 national federations will elect a new president of the organization from among three candidates.