Uzbekistan and Ukraine claim the 44th Chess Olympiad

The 44th Chess Olympiad 2022 concluded today in Chennai with the Closing ceremony. After a dramatic finish, Uzbekistan won the Open event and Ukraine claimed gold of the Women’s tournament.

Uzbekistan defeated Netherlands in the last round with a narrow 2.5-1.5 victory, while Armenia took a victory over Spain to join them on the top with 19 match points. Tiebreaks criteria determined Uzbekistan as the Winner, and Armenia came silver. India 2 clinched bronze with 18 match points.

In the tense last round of the Women’s Chess Olympiad, India lost to USA dropping to the third place in the final rankings. Ukraine won their match against Poland with a convincing 3-1 result, while Georgia took a 3-1 victory over Azerbaijan to tie with Ukraine for the first place with 18 match points. Ukraine won the event with better tiebreak criteria, and Georgia came silver. India won bronze.

Gaprindashvili cup came to the federation with the best sum of the results of the open and women’s teams and it was India with 34 match points and best additional tiebreaks that lifted the trophy.

Altogether with the team Winners and medalists of the Chess Olympiad 2022, the best individual players per boards received special prizes and medals. The best Board 1 player of the Women’s section according to the rating performance is legendary Swedish GM Pia Cramling with 9.5/11 points and 2532 rating performance. GM Nino Batsiashvili was the best player of the second board with 7.5/10 points and performance of 2504. WIM Oliwia Kiolbasa won the gold medal as the best player of the third board with 9.5/11 points and 2565 rating performance. WCM Bat-Erdene Mungunzul was the best fourth board with performance of 2460 and 8.5/11 points. WGM Jana Schneider was the best individual reserve player (5th board) with 9/10 points and a performance of 2414. 

GM Gukesh D won gold medal as the best individual Board 1 player with 9/11 points and 2867 rating performance in Open section. GM Nihal Sarin was the best player of the Board 2 with 7.5/10 points and performance of 2774. GM David Howell scored 7.5/8 points and played with the performance of 2898 to win gold as the best individual player of the 3rd board. GM Jakhongir Vakhidov, the hero of the Uzbekistan team, is the best player of the Board 4 with 6.5/8 points and performance of 2813. GM Mateusz Bartel was the best reserve (5th board player) of the Open section with 8.5/10 points and 2778 rating performance.

See all the results and rankings here.

Detailed information can be found on the official website of the event.

Photos by: FIDE/ Lennart Ootes