Hosts Uzbekistan moved back into sole first place in the Chess Olympiad after beating top-seeded United States in round nine. Two rounds remain with India, Armenia and Uzbekistan 2 one match point behind.
Uzbekistan defeated the United States 2½–1½ in round nine and now leads on 16/18 match points.
Uzbekistan has won eight of nine matches so far and responded immediately to a loss to Germany in round eight.
# What happened in round nine Uzbekistan beat the United States 2½–1½ in round nine of the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand to move back into sole first place. The hosts sit on 16 out of a possible 18 match points with two rounds still to play.
# Who delivered the results
# Notable game details
# Tournament implications Uzbekistan regained the lead immediately after suffering its first loss of the tournament to Germany in round eight. The hosts have now won eight of their nine matches and sit one match point ahead of India, Armenia and an over-performing Uzbekistan 2 team. Uzbekistan 2 moved within a point after a striking 3½–½ victory over the Netherlands in round nine.
With two rounds to play, the race for medals remains open. Uzbekistan will carry the pressure of leading on home soil, while India, Armenia and Uzbekistan 2 are positioned to challenge if they win their remaining matches.
# Short assessment Uzbekistan's campaign so far combines home advantage and standout performances on key boards. Abdusattorov and Yakubboev have been central to that run, supplying match-winning points in multiple high-stakes rounds. The United States, as top seed, dropped ground despite Wesley So's win, and will need strong results in the final rounds to reclaim contention.
# What to watch next
Photo credit: Rafal Oleksiewicz / FIDE
Uzbekistan reached the rest day as the sole leaders of the open Chess Olympiad after edging defending champions India 2½–1½ in round six. Nodirbek Yakubboev (pictured) scored the decisive win from what had been an inferior position against Nihal Sarin. China and Armenia moved into joint second on 11/12 match points aft
Uzbekistan opened a two-point lead in the Chess Olympiad after defeating China 3–1 in round seven, with Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Nodirbek Yakubboev scoring the decisive wins. The hosts remain the only team unbeaten on every individual board. Armenia, India, Germany, the Netherlands and Azerbaijan form the chasing grou
India, Uzbekistan and Germany emerged from round five with perfect 10/10 match scores after winning their clashes against fellow co-leaders. Germany defeated top seeds United States 2½–1½, with Frederik Svane (pictured) scoring the decisive win over Hans Niemann, while India beat the Netherlands and Uzbekistan swept Hu
Uzbekistan will enter the final round of the Chess Olympiad with a one-point lead after beating Armenia 3½–½ in round ten. India remain their closest challengers following a clear victory over Uzbekistan 2, while Germany, Ukraine and Hungary are two points back. Ukraine will face the hosts directly on Sunday, with Indi
For centuries, Samarkand stood at the crossroads of civilisations. Merchants, scholars and travellers crossed the ancient Silk Road, carrying ideas and cultures from one part of the world to another. Now, another kind of journey will bring the world to the legendary city: 400 chess teams from across the globe will gath
The 46th edition of the Chess Olympiad is taking place on 16-27 September at the Silk Road EXPO in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. A record 208 teams in the open and 191 in the women's category are fighting for collective and individual medals. | Follow the games live with expert commentary starting at 12.00 CEST (6.00 ET, 15.3
Loading more related stories...
Open the app view to save this story, compare related coverage, and continue from the same source.