Chess Olympiad: Samarkand to host event September 15-27, torch handed to Sindarov
Ahead of the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, the ceremonial torch was handed to Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov by Viswanathan Anand and Nitin Narang.
The countdown to the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, has formally begun. The torch for the tournament was handed to Uzbekistan's top player and Candidates Chess Tournament winner Javokhir Sindarov. The torch handover ceremony was conducted by FIDE interim president Viswanathan Anand and All India Chess Federation (AICF) president Nitin Narang.
The Chess Olympiad, one of the world's most prestigious team chess competitions, will be held in Samarkand from September 15 to 27. Leading players from around the world will take part in the tournament, with teams from different countries competing closely for the title.
FIDE started the tradition of the Chess Olympiad Torch in 2022, modelled on the Olympic torch, to celebrate the global growth of chess and build excitement around the Olympiad. Under this tradition, the torch travels through different stops before reaching the host country.
On the occasion, AICF president Nitin Narang said the Chess Olympiad torch is a powerful symbol of how the sport connects countries and generations. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had started this tradition from India in 2022. According to Narang, it is especially significant that the torch is now travelling from India, considered the birthplace of chess, to Uzbekistan, as both countries have a rich and growing chess culture.
Narang further said that as Samarkand prepares to welcome the chess world, best wishes are extended to Javokhir Sindarov and Uzbekistan.
India currently holds the title in both the open and women's categories of the Chess Olympiad. Indian teams will therefore enter this edition of the tournament aiming to defend their titles, and chess fans will be watching India's performance closely.
