The 46th Chess Olympiad is set to commence on Wednesday, 16 September, in the historical city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This prestigious event will take place at the Silk Road International Exhibition Centre, showcasing both the open and women’s events concurrently. Players will compete under the time control of 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by an additional 30 minutes for the remainder of the game, complemented by a 30-second increment starting from the first move.
Denmark’s Participation in the Chess Olympiad
Denmark is making its mark in both sections of the Olympiad. In the open event, Denmark is seeded 25th, boasting an average rating of 2555. The team comprises:
- GM Jonas Buhl Bjerre (2615)
- GM Jesper Søndergaard Thybo (2579)
- GM Mads Andersen (2549)
- GM Bjørn Møller Ochsner (2478)
- IM Filip Boe Olsen (2453)
Captain: FM Søren Bech Hansen
In comparison to other Nordic countries participating in the open event, Norway holds a higher seed position at 21st with a 2577 average rating. Sweden is seeded 36th, followed by Finland at 42nd, Iceland at 48th, and the Faroe Islands at 107th. Notably, Greenland will be participating for the very first time and is seeded 201st. The top seeds in the open event include the United States (2753), the defending champions India (2735), hosts Uzbekistan (2720), and China (2707).
In the women’s tournament, Denmark is seeded 53rd with an average rating of 2061. The Danish women’s team consists of:
- WFM Sarah Sima Derlich (2107)
- WFM Ellen Kakulidis (2088)
- WFM Esmat Susanne Guindy (2041)
- WFM Sofie Bech Dürrfeld (2007)
- WFM Anna Sofie Li (2002)
Captain: FM Mikkel Manosri Jacobsen
Among the Nordic competitors in the women’s section, Sweden leads at 29th seed, with Norway and Finland following closely at 46th and 47th, respectively. Iceland is ranked 80th. The top contenders in this event include India (2466), Georgia (2451), Kazakhstan (2438), and China (2429).
The schedule for the tournament (local dates) is as follows:
- Wed 16/9: Round 1
- Thu 17/9: Round 2
- Fri 18/9: Round 3
- Sat 19/9: Round 4
- Sun 20/9: Round 5
- Mon 21/9: Round 6
- Tue 22/9: Rest day
- Wed 23/9: Round 7
- Thu 24/9: Round 8
- Fri 25/9: Round 9
- Sat 26/9: Round 10
- Sun 27/9: Round 11
All rounds will commence at 15:00 local time (12:00 in Denmark), with the final round scheduled to start at 11:00 local time (08:00 in Denmark). As the excitement builds, chess enthusiasts are eagerly anticipating the thrilling matches that will unfold during this prestigious event.