India's national chess contingent encountered an unexpected logistical hurdle upon arriving in Samarkand on Tuesday for the 46th Chess Olympiad. Despite landing ahead of the tournament's scheduled start on Wednesday, players and officials were left waiting for more than five hours without assigned hotel rooms. The global competition is slated to take place between September 16 and September 27, leaving little recovery time for the traveling squad before their opening round matches.
Captains and Grandmasters Voice Frustration Over Lodging Delays
The prolonged wait prompted public reactions from India's team leadership and top grandmasters on social media. Indian men's team captain Grandmaster Srinath Narayanan posted about the logistical failure on X, noting that hours after touching down at the airport, room assignments remained entirely uncertain. Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi echoed similar concerns on X, describing the arrival ordeal in Samarkand as a remarkably poor experience while the team remained stranded in waiting areas.
Defending Champions Aim to Retain Titles
India enters the 2026 edition carrying the status of reigning titleholders across both divisions. The men's squad, captained by Grandmaster Srinath Narayanan, features World Champion D Gukesh alongside Grandmasters R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, and Vidit Gujrathi. The women's side is led by captain Swayams Mishra and comprises Koneru Humpy, R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, and Savitha Shri B. Both five-member units previously created history by capturing the men's and women's crowns simultaneously at the 2024 event.
