After today's ninth round, #TeamUSAChess will need strong finishes in the final two rounds of both sections. We believe! Catch WGM Zoey Tang's highly instructive annotations from Rounds 7 and 8 of the FIDE #ChessOlympiad now on Chess Life Online! In particular, Tang's notes on the very tough rook-and-pawn endgame from Round 7 between GM Wesley So and Armenian GM Robert Hovhannisyan is a must-read for any player who has ever had to navigate a tough endgame. In the below position (after 46. ... Rxb2), White has four moves that hold the draw. But, as Tang explains, "equal" does not mean "drawn." Which move gives So the best chance of holding? new.uschess.org/news/46th-ol…

ICYMI: Catch up on Rounds 5 and 6 with excellent annotations by IM Jason Liang on Chess Life Online: new.uschess.org/news/46th-ol…

Wins by @carissayipchess and @Tatev__A highlighted a 3–1 #TeamUSAChess win over Switzerland in Round 7 of the @FIDE_chess #ChessOlympiad! Yip defeated former women's world champion GM Alexandra Kosteniuk in a sharp Petrov's Defense (seriously!) with opposite-side castling and attacking chances for both sides. Abrahamyan won against WGM Ghazal Hakimifard in another inspired, attacking game, forcing her opponent to give up her queen before she could finish developing her minor pieces! Photos courtesy FIDE/Michal Walusza

YIP YIP!! 🦬 Carissa Yip took her time, but ultimately blasted Alexandra Kosteniuk off the board in a powerful attacking game! It was enough to clinch the match for Team USA over Switzerland! 👏👏 lichess.org/broadcast/46th-f… 📷: M Walusza

Today I played a WIM in round 7 of the Olympiad (USA vs Switzerland). We got a draw. I was black, and I played the French defense again. And I got a bad position out of the opening again. In fact, she was completely winning in the position below. Fortunately, she played Rxa7.

The US Chess server will be undergoing planned maintenance during the day on Tuesday, September 22, starting at 8 a.m. CDT, and likely continuing through much of the day. The systems will appear back online as soon as the maintenance is complete. More info: new.uschess.org/news/notice-…

Rollercoaster, crucial win

In the Open, @HansMokeNiemann clinched a #TeamUSAChess 2½–1½ victory over Norway after draws on the other three boards. USA improves to 10/12 entering the rest day. The defending champions from India defeated USA 3–1 in the Women's event despite strong efforts from our entire team, which remains very much in the hunt with a 9/12 score. IM Jason Liang will have highlights tomorrow on Chess Life Online! Photo of Hans with captain IM John Donaldson courtesy @FIDE_chess / Michal Walusza.

Alice Lee: "I think I just really like this event, it’s so fun, because I’m playing alongside the top American women, which is kind of rare for me. It’s usually the opposite, I’m playing against them. It’s just really great to be in such an environment!" #ChessOlympiad

US Chess is pleased to launch a program to support Affiliates who bring chess to students attending Title I schools for the 2026-2027 school year. We are seeking partnerships with US Chess Affiliates that offer chess programs to Title I schools, either as part of the school day or as an afterschool activity. We recognize that there are many expenses related to offering a chess program and we want to smooth the path for your students. US Chess will provide 16 free memberships for students and eight sets of boards and pieces for each school’s program. The application will be closed when we reach the maximum number of programs we can support. new.uschess.org/news/us-ches…

ALICE SWEEPS!! 🧹 Alice Lee moves to 5/5 (!!!!!) by downing her 2024 Olympiad teammate Begim Tokhirjonova! 🇺🇸 It was absolutely critical, as the United States was losing the match to Uzbekistan at that point, but this saved a match draw! lichess.org/broadcast/46th-f… 📷: M Walusza

It was a tense day for the U.S. in Round 5 of the @FIDE_chess Olympiad. Germany defeated USA 2½–1½ in the Open and the Women's team tied Uzbekistan thanks to IM Alice Lee's fifth consecutive victory! Catch up on #TeamUSAChess wins from rounds 3 and 4 on Chess Life Online with analysis by FM Andy Lee: new.uschess.org/news/46th-ol…

Today we played Uzbekistan in round 5 of the Olympiad (I took the day off yesterday because team captain told me to). We drew. I was lucky. I tried a new line of the French, but it didn't work. Below she played c4. This is a mistake due to Qg7, threatening mate with Rb1+.

With a pair of 3½–½ victories in Round 4, #TeamUSA chess improves to 8/8 in both @FIDE_chess #ChessOlympiad tournaments! Wins by @carissayipchess, IM Alice Lee, and @Tatev__A led USA's way over Spain, while @FabianoCaruana's win on Board 1 over GM Vasyl Ivanchuk — along with @WesleySo_'s Italian masterclass as Black against GM Anton Korobov and @LevAronian wildest win yet — turned a tough test against Ukraine into a resounding win. Photos c FIDE/Rafal Oleksiewicz

#TeamUSAChess currently boasts 6/6 scores in both sections of the @FIDE_chess #ChessOlympiad. On Chess Life online, today's report covers the first two rounds, featuring detailed analysis from @SabinaFoisor on wins by @FabianoCaruana, @HansMokeNiemann, @atwell_rose, @Tatev__A, @LevAronian and more! Delegation photo by the one and only @davidllada! new.uschess.org/news/46th-ol…

Hope GM Irina Krush and TEAM USA have great Olympiad!

As both American teams improve to 2–0 in the 46th @FIDE_Chess Olympiad, we would like to recognize our sponsors — @STLChessClub, @Kasparov_Chess, and @icnnyc — who make Team USA’s participation possible. Their generosity has helped our players train, prepare, and travel over 6,000 miles to represent their country on the biggest stage. We'll see you all at 5 a.m. CDT tomorrow for Round 3!