Behind the scenes in Samarkand: The Olympiad comes to a close

by ChessBase
10/1/2026 – Arne Kähler shares impressions from the final moments in Samarkand: the start of the crucial matches Uzbekistan–Ukraine and India–Hungary in the last round, a blitz game against seven-year-old Uzbek talent Mukhammadyusuf Bakhramov, scenes from the press room, a chat with Frederik Svane from Germany and Konstantin Peyrer from Austria, and highlights from the closing ceremony. | Photo: ChessBase
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The 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand is over. Here are a few impressions from the final days. We see the start of the matches Uzbekistan–Ukraine and India–Hungary in the final round, including a surprisingly relaxed Richard Rapport, who arrived late at the board.

We also see Arne Kähler beating seven-year-old Uzbek talent Mukhammadyusuf Bakhramov in an intense blitz game, while the Uzbek fans celebrate their team's success.

In the evening, during the closing ceremony, Arne had a brief chat with Austria's Konstantin Peyrer and Frederik Svane from Germany, who had just run back from the hotel to fetch his player badge for access to the playing area.

The closing ceremony, with China receiving gold in the Women's section and Uzbekistan in the Open, marked the end of the 2026 Chess Olympiad, and of the ChessBase team's time in Samarkand.

ChessBase in Samarkand at the 46th Chess Olympiad: Vlog No. 4 | Video: ChessBase

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60m English New ideas in the Najdorf_E

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