Uzbekistan Emerges as Chess Olympiad Leader Following Victory Over China

Uzbekistan’s men’s team emerged as a leading contender at the Samarkand Chess Olympiad, opening a two-point lead after a 3–1 win over China in Round 7, with Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Nodirbek Yakubboev scoring decisive victories. The hosts later strengthened their gold-medal prospects by defeating the United States, while India stayed in contention with a win over Germany; Uzbekistan’s second team also stunned the Netherlands. With two rounds left, several teams remained in the race, making the finish uncertain. In the women’s event, China held first place after beating Armenia, while India moved into the medal positions with a win over Uzbekistan. The tournament also marked a major organizational milestone for Uzbekistan as Samarkand hosted the Chess Olympiad alongside events for players with disabilities and the FIDE Congress.
Uzbekistan’s 3–1 win over China came after a 2.5–1.5 victory over defending champions India in Round 6, with Yakubboev again providing the decisive point. Through seven rounds, the team had won all seven matches without losing an individual game.
Gukesh won on board four to help India defeat Germany and stay in the men’s title race.
In the women’s section, Lu Miaoyi and Zhu Jiner scored China’s decisive wins against Armenia; in India’s victory over Uzbekistan, Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal both remained undefeated.
Uzbekistan’s second team defeated sixth-seeded Netherlands 3.5–0.5, while France and China drew all four boards.
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