Only a hundred days more…after about almost 100 years wait for the 44th World Chess Olympiad 2022 to begin at Mahabalipuram, Chennai. This is the first time that India would be hosting an event of this magnitude and it was way back in 1924 that the first unofficial Olympiad was played.
Former World Champions, Reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsen, Former Women World Champions, Super Grandmasters, National Champions -in short the best brains in chess would be huddling under a single Indian roof at the Four Points by Sheraton in Mahabalipuram from 28th July to 10th August.
The top ten countries ranked by the average rating of their top 10 players are Russia, United States of America, China, India, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Hungary, France and Poland in respective order. The playing teams in all probability will be declared by the respective countries in the first week of May. The top ten countries are so evenly matched that each and every country has a chance to have a go at the ‘Gold’ which would make every round of this event very enthralling and exciting.
Interestingly barring Azerbaijan and France, all the other 8 countries have won the coveted Gold medal at the Olympiads even though the erstwhile Soviet Union has dominated this event, winning 12 consecutive Golds from 1952 to 1976 after which Hungary had snatched the Gold. If it may be recalled India and Russia had jointly won the Gold in the 2020 online virtual event.
The excitement is palpable amongst the Organisers, players and the following enthusiasts for this is for the first time in the history of chess that players from more than 150 countries would descend on Indian soil in July.
It is a lifetime opportunity for youngsters to get a glimpse of their idols, watch them play and possibly interact with them.
– said five- time World Champion Viswanathan Anand
Hundreds of district players from Tamil Nadu are already putting in their requests to witness the games live and soon the fever will catch up in the whole country.
“ We are sparing no effort to ensure that this Olympiad will be the best ever and hoping that people would be talking about it for the next 100 years’ promises a determined Bharat Singh Chauhan, Secretary of the All India Chess Federation.
| Country rank by average rating of top 10 players | ||||||
| Average | GMs | IMs | Total Titled | |||
| 1 | Russia | 2739 | 256 | 549 | 2641 | |
| 2 | United States of America | 2715 | 101 | 166 | 828 | |
| 3 | China | 2705 | 48 | 39 | 181 | |
| 4 | India | 2668 | 64 | 114 | 408 | |
| 5 | Ukraine | 2663 | 93 | 209 | 589 | |
| 6 | Armenia | 2652 | 44 | 29 | 132 | |
| 7 | Azerbaijan | 2652 | 26 | 32 | 159 | |
| 8 | Hungary | 2644 | 58 | 120 | 497 | |
| 9 | France | 2638 | 50 | 118 | 465 | |
| 10 | Poland | 2637 | 45 | 109 | 447 | |
| 11 | Germany | 2630 | 96 | 273 | 1443 | |
| 12 | Netherlands | 2622 | 36 | 104 | 388 | |