Uzbekistan enters day one of Chess Olympiad without Javokhir Sindarov

Uzbekistan has opened its home Chess Olympiad against Jamaica on Wednesday without Javokhir Sindarov. The 20-year-old is the best board of the host nation and the defending champion of the 2026 Candidates Tournament.

The Uzbek team’s first-round pairing was confirmed after the draw, with the hosts facing Jamaica at 15:00 Tashkent time. Sindarov is set to miss the opening match, according to Kursiv Uzbekistan.

The Olympiad is a team event rather than an individual championship: four players compete in each match, while each squad can also use a reserve. A single star can decide a game, but the overall result depends on the combined score across all four boards.

Sindarov’s absence is particularly conspicuous because his international profile has changed dramatically this year. He won the Candidates Tournament in April, securing the right to challenge reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju for the world title later in 2026.

Read more: From Sindarov to Madaminov: Uzbekistan’s five Chess Olympiad hopefuls

Uzbekistan’s other hopefuls beyond Javokhir Sindarov

The rest of Uzbekistan’s first team includes another elite grandmaster, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, as well as Nodirbek Yakubboev, Shamsiddin Vokhidov and Mukhiddin Madaminov. Former world champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov is the team captain.

FIDE says the Samarkand tournament has 208 teams in the Open section and 192 in the Women’s competition, bringing the total to 400 teams and exceeding the previous record of 392 set in Budapest in 2024. The competition runs until 27 September.

Read more: 400 teams, one ancient city: FIDE Chess Olympiad kicks off in Samarkand

Uzbekistan won its first Open Olympiad title in Chennai in 2022 and took bronze in Budapest in 2024. It enters the Samarkand tournament third in the published starting order, behind the United States and defending champions India.