Vidit Gujrathi shared his thoughts on the 2026 Chess Olympiad. Vidit believes it will be difficult for India to replicate its performance at the 2024 Olympiad, and notes the potential of other national teams.

Vidit Gujrathi

Vidit Gujrathi

Indian GM

“I think at this Olympiad it would be hard for us to mimic the same performance like we did. I think we all realized last time that what we did in 2024 was really special. In 44 games we lost only one game.

So, it would be very hard to do it. I would never say impossible, but I would say it’s very hard to mimic that. We all were in the best shape possible. Of course, there are some fluctuations, but overall, as a team, we were in great shape.

I think this year’s Olympiad will be tougher. Uzbekistan has a very strong team. If Russia comes in, they’ll also be another strong team. China you can never underestimate, USA also.

We are one of the favorites, but I wouldn’t say that we are the favorite. We need to do something exceptional to get that back.”

The Chess Olympiad is a prestigious national team competition. The event is held every two years and organized by FIDE. The 2026 Olympiad will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 15 to 27. In 2024, India won gold in both the men’s and women’s groups. The roster of the Indian national team has not been announced at the time of publication.

Credit: Rafal Oleksiewicz / FIDE