The first playing day of the 46th Olympiad in Samarkand produced no match upsets: top seeds USA beat Iraq 3½-½, India defeated Thailand 3-1, and Uzbekistan swept Jamaica 4-0. The ceremonial first move was made by FIDE Acting President Viswanathan Anand — the five-time world champion played 1.c4 for a Jamaican player in the game against Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
The individual sensation of the day came on India’s board one: Thailand’s IM Prin Laohawirapap beat Arjun Erigaisi with the black pieces. The Indian had been closer to victory for a long time, but in time trouble he chose the wrong move instead of the strong one — his king fell under a crossfire of queen and rook, and Erigaisi resigned. The only half-point the USA gave away came from Levon Aronian, held to a draw on board three. Meanwhile Hans Niemann, making his Olympiad debut for the USA, won his game on board two in just 23 moves.
Armenia began the event with a clean sweep: Barbados fell 4-0, with Haik Martirosyan resting in round one while Robert Hovhannisyan, Shant Sargsyan, Gabriel Sargissian and Manuel Petrosyan all won their games. In the women’s tournament top seeds India (average rating 2466) beat Thailand 3-1, Uzbekistan defeated Jamaica 4-0, and China swept Uganda.
| Round-one match | Score |
|---|---|
| USA — Iraq | 3½-½ (Aronian held to a draw) |
| India — Thailand | 3-1 (Erigaisi lost to Laohawirapap) |
| Uzbekistan — Jamaica | 4-0 |
| Armenia — Barbados | 4-0 (Martirosyan rested) |
What's next. Round two follows as early as 17 September. We are tracking Armenia’s matches and the favourites’ race, and will report the key events.
Sources
- FIDE, accessed 17.09.2026
- Chess.com, accessed 17.09.2026
- Chess-Results, accessed 17.09.2026
Ararat International Online School
