The 45th Chess Olympiad 2024 was held in Budapest, Hungary from September 10–23, 2024. It set new records: a whopping 1,884 players (975 Open, 909 Women) from 197 Open teams (195 nations) and 183 Women’s teams (181 nations) competed. Notably, this turnout was achieved despite the absence of Russia and Belarus – their slots were filled by other nations and, for the first time, official refugee teams under FIDE’s “Chess for Protection” initiative. The format followed the familiar 11-round Swiss system: each team match featured four boards (plus one alternate), contested in two parallel tournaments – Open and Women’s. All games were played at Budapest’s SYMA Sports & Conference Centre.
Open Competition
India’s Open squad – featuring young Grandmasters Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Vidit Gujrathi, and others – delivered a dominant performance. The team finished undefeated, scoring a record 21 out of 22 match points, dropping only one draw throughout the tournament. In the final round, they crushed Slovenia 3½–½, sealing the gold. The USA took silver and Uzbekistan won bronze in the Open section. India led by a full four points over the field – an unprecedented margin in modern Olympiad play. This was India’s first-ever Open gold and only the third time since 2018 that one country won both Open and Women’s titles.
India was awarded the historic Hamilton–Russell Cup as national pride soared with the national anthem echoing in the arena. Their 21/22 score shattered the previous Olympiad record for match points. The victory was seen as a seminal moment in chess history – a feat previously achieved only by the Soviet Union and China.
Women’s Competition
The Indian Women’s team – Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, and Tania Sachdev – also made history. Despite a loss to Poland in Round 8 and a draw against the USA in Round 9, they won their last two matches convincingly. In Round 10, they defeated China 2.5–1.5, and in Round 11, they routed Azerbaijan 3½–½. Simultaneously, Kazakhstan and the USA drew their match, allowing India to climb to the top of the leaderboard and clinch their first-ever Women’s Olympiad title. Kazakhstan secured the silver, and the USA took bronze.
The Indian women were awarded the Vera Menchik Cup. All five players scored at least 50%, with Harika and Divya each scoring 8½/11 – showcasing impressive team depth. Kazakhstan’s silver was also a first-ever Olympiad team medal for the country, and the USA women earned their first team medal since 2008.
Final Medal Standings
| Section | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | India | USA | Uzbekistan |
| Women | India | Kazakhstan | USA |
Individual Board Champions
Outstanding individual performances were also recognized:
Open Section:
- Board 1: Gukesh Dommaraju (India) – 9/10, performance rating 3056
- Board 2: Thai Dai Van Nguyen (Czech Republic) – 7½/10
- Board 3: Arjun Erigaisi (India) – 9/11
- Board 4: Shamsiddin Vokhidov (Uzbekistan) – 8/10
- Reserve: Frederik Svane (Germany) – 9/10
Women’s Section:
- Board 1: Zhu Jiner (China)
- Board 2: Carissa Yip (USA)
- Board 3: Divya Deshmukh (India)
- Board 4: Vantika Agrawal (India)
- Reserve: Dana Kochavi (Israel) – 8/8, performance rating 2676
Gukesh’s 3056 performance rating was the highest of the entire Olympiad. Indian players swept three of the women’s board golds, further cementing their growing dominance in world chess.
Highlights and Controversies
- Magnus Carlsen’s Bicycle Commute: In a widely talked-about incident, World Champion Magnus Carlsen arrived ten minutes late to Round 3 after biking through heavy rain due to traffic chaos. Fortunately, he avoided forfeiture thanks to a delayed round start.
- Anti-Cheating Measures: Several players were caught with banned devices, including SIM cards hidden on their person. This resulted in overturned results and disqualifications, as FIDE cracked down heavily on fair play violations.
Read more on Top Chess Cheating Scandals of All Time: Impact and punishment – kingdomofchess.com - Political Boycotts: Bangladesh and Iran forfeited matches against Israel, citing political reasons. The Israeli players criticized the politicization of sport, highlighting the need for neutrality in international chess events.
- Historic Firsts:
- Refugee teams officially participated for the first time.
- Kazakhstan earned its first-ever Olympiad medal (Women’s silver).
- India became only the third country to win double gold.
- For the first time in Olympiad history, no European nation won a medal in either section.
- Tournament Scale: With 1,884 participants, Budapest 2024 was the largest Chess Olympiad ever. The event featured cultural celebrations, chess-themed performances, and record-breaking participation.
Upcoming Chess Tournaments in India 2025 – kingdomofchess.com
Looking Ahead: Tashkent 2026
The 46th Chess Olympiad is scheduled for 2026 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. As the chess world looks to the future, the legacy of Budapest 2024 will remain a landmark in the sport – celebrating India’s rise, global participation, and the power of chess to unite and inspire across borders.
Read more on the 46th Chess Olympiad FIDE delegation visits Uzbekistan to inspect preparations for 46th Chess Olympiad – International Chess Federation
