Afghan players at risk of corporal punishment for playing chess at the Olympiad. They most likely knew about the risk and chose to play anyway. Wishing the best for these brave souls and hope they get all the support they need.

[Team Singapore’s Olympiad Performance Reflection] Singapore’s Open team finished 37th at the Chess Olympiad and, with a little more fortune in a couple of matches, could easily have broken into the top 30. This was the finest Olympiad performance in Singapore’s history. Jingyao finished among the top 10 scorers on Board 1 — remarkably, the only player in that group who entered the event rated below 2600. Zi Han, at just 16, enjoyed an outstanding Olympiad debut, finishing undefeated and securing his final IM norm. We also sent one of our youngest Women’s teams ever. They performed creditably throughout, showing good team spirit, discipline and a positive approach to every match. In recognition of these performances, SCF will be awarding a total of S$20,000 (c. US$15,000) to the players, including S$5,000 to Jingyao for his exceptional individual performance. Including training support, pre-Olympiad competition, flights and other preparations, SCF’s total investment in our Olympiad teams was around S$80,000 (c. US$60,000). For a small federation with limited resources, this is a significant commitment. But there is tremendous pride in watching our players fight for every half-point while representing Singapore on the biggest team stage in chess. I have now been to nine Olympiads, and I have seen very different team environments over the years. I have been part of teams where some players were focused largely on their own individual results rather than the team, and I have also seen captains who were indecisive, ineffective or simply not up to the demands of the role. For the first time in a long while, my captains and I were unanimous that this was the best overall team experience we have had. The players supported one another and there was a genuine sense that everyone was fighting for Singapore first. That said, there is still much to learn and improve on. Our players need to develop greater self-belief and not be intimidated by higher ratings or stronger reputations. The results from this Olympiad should give them confidence that, with the right preparation and mindset, they can compete with teams and players who may look much stronger on paper. Virtually all our players are members of the Singapore National Training Programme, and we now have a clear pathway for young talents who aspire to represent Singapore at the highest level. Finally, thank you to all our donors and to Singapore’s One Team Singapore Fund. Support at this level would simply not be possible without you. 🇸🇬

Congratulations to the Chinese Women team - they didn’t send their top guns but still managed to win the gold medals. Also happy for Grandmaster Zhang Zhong, the captain of the Women’s team. 张哥was representing Singapore years ago, until the SCF administration then decided to go to war with our undisputed top player, eventually forcing him to rescind his Singapore citizenship and return to China.

The day after the FIDE Presidential election: change, chaos, or more of the same? After more than 30 years of Russian presidents at FIDE, many in the chess world wanted change. Wadim Rosenstein eventually received 85 votes. From where I stood, he was always up against it. Turlov’s campaign appeared to have the support of many within the existing FIDE establishment — including Council members and staff — alongside considerable support from people connected with the Kazakhstan Chess Federation. Wadim, meanwhile, spent an extraordinary amount of time personally travelling from continent to continent campaigning for votes. Then came the Buettner/Pein episode. Days before the election, they publicly said there was “no deal” and “no second-round arrangement” with Turlov. After receiving 20 votes in Round 1, they endorsed him for Round 2. Pein subsequently spoke about holding the “balance of power” and obtaining commitments from Turlov in return for their support. Whatever one chooses to call it, the coordination was certainly striking. As for Timur Turlov himself, my view is more nuanced. At 38, he has built an enormously successful business. Freedom Holding Corp. is listed on Nasdaq, and I found Timur highly articulate and impressive when I met him privately. He also assured me that FIDE under his leadership would be run to the transparency and governance standards expected of a listed company. I very much believe and hope that promise shall be fulfilled. But the questions over Russia have not disappeared. Former Russian Sports Minister Pavel Kolobkov stood for Vice President and was elected. Timur could not technically disqualify an independently nominated candidate, but he could have immediately and publicly distanced himself from Kolobkov’s candidacy. Given all the questions surrounding continuity with the previous Russian-led administration, that would have been a powerful early signal. He did not. To me, that was a missed opportunity. There is also the approach to Mykhailo Podolyak regarding Ukrainian representation, which prompted an angry response from the Ukrainian Chess Federation after it said it had neither nominated nor authorised him. Timur has repeatedly spoken about transparency, accountability and professional governance. His business background means those promises can fairly be measured against very high standards. The election is over. Timur Turlov garnered 110 votes, and the chess world has chosen its leader. He deserves the time and opportunity to show that he can deliver on the promises he made during his campaign. For the sake of FIDE and the wider chess community, we should all hope that he does.

Wadim Rosenstein - 85 Timur Turlov - 110 New FIDE President!

20 - Jan Buettner 76 - Wadim Rosenstein 96 - Timur Turlov There will be a second round of voting between Wadim and Timur as no one has secured 50%+1 vote.

Some guy in the voting booths asked whether he has to sign anywhere on the slip 😭😭😭

Jam packed toilets now at the Congress. Great opportunity for the candidates to canvass for last minute votes if they can secure some cubicles.

Big day

A rather unique situation for our Singapore Open team today. Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, begins at sundown today. It is traditionally observed with a 25-hour fast, prayer and reflection. At the request of the Israeli Chess Federation, and in the spirit of sportsmanship and mutual respect, our team has agreed to start our match against Israel 1 hour and 15 minutes earlier than scheduled. The match is currently played at the Savitsky Hotel to minimise disruption and hopefully allow the Israeli players to observe Yom Kippur. This is certainly one of the more unusual situations I have encountered in all my years of competitive chess, but also a reminder that an Olympiad brings together people from many different countries, cultures and traditions. Hopefully our players will adjust well to the change in schedule and put up a strong fight against a very strong Israeli team. #worldchessolympiad

Super proud of our team today after defeating Norway. Even without Magnus, we were outrated on every board, and it took plenty of grit — plus a little bit of luck — to pull off a 2.5–1.5 win against the 21st seeds. I’m still checking the history, but this may well rank among Singapore’s biggest team victories at an Olympiad. With that win, we are rewarded with a matchup against the mighty English. I was just joking with @TelegraphChess that we somehow always seem to run into England at Olympiads. The good news is that I’m no longer playing, so perhaps we have a chance this time 🤣 Our Women’s team also had a good day, beating Japan and earning themselves a tough matchup against Greece tomorrow. Away from the boards, things are getting noticeably busier at the Expo Centre — and online. There is plenty of speculation, debate and mudslinging as the FIDE election period gathers pace. Among the candidates, it is quite obvious that Wadim Rosenstein and his team have been the most visible and the most active in terms of engagement. Still, it is early days and with more delegates arriving over the next few days, it will be interesting to see how the discussions develop. #worldchessolympiad

Round 1 has concluded, and Singapore enjoyed a smooth start in both sections. 11 year old Ashwath Kaushik brought his trademark pillow to the tournament - he needed it to reach the other side of the board and he will continue to start in round 2 against the Welsh team. The women team will face the formidable Armenians and the experience will do them a world of good. The playing venue is excellent, and thankfully we didn’t see the usual first-round chaos at the security checkpoints. I missed the Opening Ceremony, but everyone I spoke to said it was spectacular. The Expo Centre is also impressive. Both Wadim Rosenstein and Timur Turlov have very professional-looking booths showcasing their respective proposals and candidacies. And yet, beneath all of this, some more concerning issues remain. I was told that two players from one team were denied entry and had to return home after travelling for more than 30 hours. Some accommodation concerns, including shared toilets, have apparently not been fully resolved. Our neighbours Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines are housed around 50 minutes away by bus, while some of the more prominent teams are effectively a golf-cart ride from the venue. I also understand that an African delegate has yet to receive his visa and may therefore miss what could be one of the most consequential FIDE Congresses in recent memory. Unfortunately, because of the timing, almost every issue is now being viewed through the lens of the FIDE elections. Everyone and their mother seems to have a conspiracy theory about something — including, at this rate, why there was no chicken at my lunch buffet today. 🤣 There are even rumours circulating about possible rescheduling of the elections and General Assembly. In an ordinary year, perhaps these would attract less attention. In a closely contested election year, inevitably every decision is scrutinised far more intensely. One gentleman whom I respect deeply was adamant to me that there was “something really sinister” surrounding one of the candidacies. I won’t speculate beyond saying that the atmosphere around this election has clearly become unusually charged. For my part, I cannot wait for the elections to be over — and for the attention to return to what this Olympiad should ultimately be about: chess and the players. #worldchessolympiad

Love it when highly intelligent kids put highly intelligent adults in their place with zero filters 🤣🤣🤣

One recurring issue at recent Olympiads has been the significant disparity in travel time between team hotels and the playing venue. Singapore is fortunate to be around 15–20 minutes away by bus. Some teams are within a 5-minute walk, while others reportedly have journeys of more than an hour each way. Factor in waiting time, traffic and 11 rounds, and this becomes more than just an inconvenience. The cumulative difference in rest and recovery can be substantial, and that inevitably has an impact on results. I have a great deal of sympathy for the organisers of the world’s biggest chess tournament, and particularly for the local staff on the ground who end up dealing with frustrations that may not be of their making. Organising an Olympiad is an enormous undertaking. But precisely because this is the pinnacle of team chess, reasonable efforts should be made to ensure that logistical arrangements do not create unnecessary disparities between teams. Hopefully this could be useful feedback for future editions?

Technical meeting done - pretty positive vibes and good spirit. Although this is also the place where you hear the most appalling stories about teams being placed in dormitories with shared toilets. Some rooms apparently have no internet. Some teams have to leave before 1pm to play a 3pm game because they are placed that far away. And in the meantime the defending Olympiad champions are still waiting for their rooms 6 hours after arriving in Samarkand. Everyone seems to be working hard to resolve all these issues but not a great start indeed. #worldchessolympiad

Sergei was really hardworking and nice in Singapore and he was always friendly with us in subsequent events. Very sorry to hear this.

Read this on the way home from the Asian Youth Chess Championships - a lovely tribute to Paco’s dad and his broad philosophical views about chess and all his adventures. Highly recommended for anyone who loves insights from a top player. But now I’m not sure I want Spain to win tonight ☹️.

He really wants to improve too!

GM Siddharth Jagadeesh was accorded the Singapore Sportsboy of the Year today, thanks to his winning the World U-18 last year. Proud of the boy and congratulations to his family! straitstimes.com/sport/pool-…