Chess Olympiad 2026: Day 1 Review
The Chess Olympiad in Samarkand began with a familiar question: can India do it again?
India arrived as one of the strongest teams in the Open section, while the women's team entered as defending champions. But the first day immediately reminded everyone that the Olympiad is different from an ordinary tournament. Even the strongest teams can stumble, and one unexpected result can change the entire mood of a match. For India, Day 1 brought a convincing team victory, but also one major (unplesant) surprise.
India 3-1 Thailand
India opened its campaign against Thailand and won the match 3-1. Gukesh and Nihal Sarin delivered wins, while Praggnanandhaa drew his game.
The surprise came on Board 2, where Arjun Erigaisi lost to Thailand's IM Prin Laohawirapap.
On paper, the result looked like the kind of game India should comfortably control. But chess does not care about rankings. Arjun had chances during the game, but his opponent created dangerous attacking possibilities around the king, and the position eventually slipped away.
That gave the Olympiad its first major Indian talking point. The good news for India was that Gukesh and Nihal did exactly what a strong team needs in such a situation: they converted their games into victories.
India may have entered as one of the favourites, but Thailand immediately demonstrated why every opponent has to be taken seriously.
The final score was India 3-1 Thailand.
The Women's Team Starts Perfectly
The Indian women's team had a much smoother opening day. They defeated the Dominican Republic 4-0, giving the defending champions the perfect start. There was no drama and no dropped half point. Every board contributed a win.
It was exactly the kind of beginning India would have wanted, especially in a tournament where every half-point can become important later.
The Huge Storyline: Why Is Gukesh Playing Board 4?
There was another fascinating story developing before the tournament even properly settled down as Gukesh, the reigning World Champion, played on Board 4 for India.
That is unusual enough to deserve attention. The decision was reportedly Gukesh's own idea. It creates a fascinating situation. Instead of seeing the World Champion fight every round on the top board, we could see Gukesh quietly collecting points on Board 4 while India's other stars take on the strongest opposition. This could also help him consolidate a bit before the all crucial World Championship match against Javikhir Sindarov as he has been struggling with poor form lately.
Chip on the shoulder?
Day 1 was only the beginning. India has already taken the match points it needed, but the real tests will come when the stronger teams start meeting each other.
For the Open team, the big questions are now:
Can Arjun bounce back?
Can Nihal maintain his momentum?
Can Gukesh continue his run from Board 4?
And perhaps most importantly: Will India's unusual board order become one of the secrets behind its Olympiad title defense?
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