‘Long dream’: Nihal Sarin 'excited' but 'not thinking about' Olympiad title defence
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7 reports left out of the cascade - too little in common with the story to place
How it spread - 25 original reports
Mon, 7 September 2026
2 reports- Times of India02:14first to report
Nihal Sarin is excited to represent India at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, where India will defend its Open title, but is currently focused on the Global Chess League. The 22-year-old calls the Olympiad a long-time dream. Meanwhile, American Gambits lead the GCL standings after two days, despite Nihal’s individual win over Levon Aronian.
- Times of India06:42
The Chess Olympiad’s historic US-Russia rivalry takes a striking turn in Samarkand. The United States arrives with a star-studded team, with Levon Aronian seeking a record fourth gold medal. Russia, meanwhile, remains barred from competing following its federation’s suspension amid the Ukraine dispute. Ian Nepomniachtchi reflects on Russia’s absence, highlighting how politics has reshaped one of chess’s biggest rivalries.
Tue, 15 September 2026
2 reports- Times of India11:25
India's Chess Olympiad title defense hit a snag in Samarkand as team captain Srinath Narayanan voiced his frustration regarding delayed hotel room allocations. The team arrived five hours early, yet clarity on room assignments remained elusive. This hiccup unfolds right before the much-anticipated opening ceremony, highlighting the substantial logistical hurdles faced by organizers of this record-setting event.
- Times of India13:53
Upon their arrival in Samarkand, India's chess team faced a frustrating delay concerning hotel accommodations due to miscommunication from the local organizing committee. Fortunately, All India Chess Federation president Nitin Narang stepped in and reached out to FIDE to resolve the accommodation issue. Now, players are comfortably settled in individual rooms, while coaches share rooms.
Wed, 16 September 2026
1 report- Times of India03:36
From consoling a devastated Nihal Sarin after a cruel time loss to calling out India’s accommodation mess in Samarkand, Srinath Narayanan has been the steady hand all around. The Gambits captain helped his GCL side bounce back to bronze, and now turns his focus to India’s Chess Olympiad campaign, confident a young, tightly knit squad can deliver.
Thu, 17 September 2026
1 report- Times of India03:37
FIDE has apologised after accommodation problems disrupted the opening day of the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, leaving some teams without proper lodging. The governing body said affected federations will be reimbursed for suitable accommodation for up to three days, while teams staying in substandard official hotels will receive compensation. India was among the contingents affected.
Fri, 18 September 2026
1 report- chessbase.com00:00
All of the top 28 seeds won in round two of the open Chess Olympiad, but several favourites were pushed hard. The United States (pictured), India and the Netherlands all prevailed by 2½–1½, while El Salvador produced the biggest team upset by beating Cuba. Gukesh Dommaraju was held to a draw by Satria Duta Cahaia and slipped below 2700 on the live rating list. | Photo: Rafal Oleksiewicz / FIDE
Sun, 20 September 2026
1 report- Times of India01:35
Arjun Erigaisi bounced back from a difficult start to the Chess Olympiad with a convincing victory over Maksim Chigaev, helping defending champions India beat Spain 3-1 in Round 4. Gukesh continued his impressive run, while Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin drew. India’s women also remained unbeaten, beating Mongolia 3-1 as both Indian teams maintained their winning momentum in Samarkand.
Mon, 21 September 2026
1 report- Times of India02:35
At the 2026 Chess Olympiad, R Praggnanandhaa secured his first win by outplaying Dutch No. 1 Anish Giri in a tense Ruy Lopez, helping India beat the Netherlands 3-1. Gukesh also won, while Erigaisi and Nihal drew. India’s women suffered a narrow 1.5-2.5 loss to Poland, with Vaishali defeated by Aleksandra Maltsevskaya. Poland have now beaten India in three successive Olympiads.
Tue, 22 September 2026
1 report- Times of India02:55
India suffered a narrow 2.5-1.5 defeat to hosts Uzbekistan in Round 6 of the Chess Olympiad after Nihal Sarin let a winning position slip, allowing Nodirbek Yakubboev to capture his queen for free. With Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and D Gukesh drawing, Nihal’s loss proved decisive. India’s women bounced back against the United States, winning 3-1 after their previous-round defeat to Poland.
Thu, 24 September 2026
2 reports- Times of India02:33
India’s open team stayed in contention for a Chess Olympiad medal after beating England 2.5-1.5, but Uzbekistan’s perfect run has made the gold race increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, the women’s team strengthened their title hopes with a dominant 3.5-0.5 win over Germany, led by Savitha Shri’s sixth straight victory.
- Times of India16:10
Gukesh pushed hard but was held to a draw by Azerbaijan’s Mahammad Muradli as India missed a chance to close the gap on the Chess Olympiad leaders. Uzbekistan and Germany lead the open section with 14 points. In the women’s event, Savitha Shri extended her winning streak to seven, rescuing India against Kazakhstan and keeping their title hopes alive.
Sun, 27 September 2026
2 reports- Times of India03:48
India face a tense final day at the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, with both defending champions still in gold-medal contention. The open team needs a win over Hungary and an Uzbekistan slip-up, while the women's team face a steeper route against Georgia. Gukesh and Savitha Shri remain in individual medal contention.
- Times of India12:49
India secured a memorable double podium at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. Savitha Shri’s resilient 83-move draw sealed bronze for the women, while Arjun Erigaisi’s dramatic late victory helped the open team win silver on tiebreak. Uzbekistan took open gold and China won women’s gold. India also claimed the Gaprindashvili Cup for the best combined performance.
Mon, 28 September 2026
1 report- Die Zeit (Germany)13:29
Die deutsche Mannschaft holt überraschend Bronze bei der Schacholympiade in Usbekistan. Woher kommt dieser plötzliche Erfolg?
Tue, 29 September 2026
1 report- Times of India02:05
Nihal Sarin responded to an X user who told him to “play for Pakistan” after India’s Open team won silver at the Chess Olympiad, replying simply, “on board 0?” Nihal’s tournament was mixed, with five points from nine games after a strong start and two consecutive losses in the middle. India finished runners-up to Uzbekistan.
Wed, 30 September 2026
1 report- Times of India12:24
Welcome to TimesofIndia.com's interview series looking back at India's medal-winning campaigns at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. And who better to kick things off than Srinath Narayanan, the silver-winning captain of Team India in the Open section? Here, the 32-year-old opens up about Gukesh's move to Board 4, India's silver, the campaign's key challenges, team unity, the upcoming Gukesh-Sindarov world championship match, and much more.
Fri, 2 October 2026
3 reports- Times of India00:30
Welcome to TimesofIndia.com's interview series looking back at India's medal-winning campaigns at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. After kicking things off with Srinath Narayanan and India's silver-winning Open team, we turn to Swayams Mishra, captain of the bronze-winning women's team. In an exclusive interaction, the 34-year-old opens up about his first full stint as captain, the difficult decision-making around Vaishali, Savitha Shri's match-winning impact, and much more.
- Euronews07:59
Almost 400 teams from more than 190 countries competed over 11 rounds. Germany took bronze, while Hungary, France and Spain also finished in the top 10, alongside Azerbaijan and Armenia.
- Times of India13:35
Welcome to the third instalment of TimesofIndia.com's interview series looking back at India's medal-winning campaigns at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. After speaking to the two captains of the open and women's teams, we turn to Nihal Sarin, who clinched a silver medal with the open team. In an exclusive interaction, the 22-year-old looks back on the painful loss to eventual champions Uzbekistan, his miss, the memories he takes away from this Olympiad, and much more.
Sun, 4 October 2026
1 report- Times of India06:16
In the fourth instalment of TimesofIndia.com's series looking back at India's medal-winning campaigns at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Vantika Agrawal reflects on her women's team's bronze-medal journey. The 24-year-old discusses the setbacks against Poland and China, her individual bronze, the team's resilience, her limited exposure to elite tournaments, and her ambitions to break into the top circuit.
Mon, 5 October 2026
1 report- Times of India01:35
In the fifth instalment of TimesofIndia.com's series on India's medal-winning Chess Olympiad campaigns in Samarkand, R Praggnanandhaa reflects on India's silver-medal finish and his individual bronze. The 21-year-old discusses battling illness, missed winning chances, the decisive defeat to Uzbekistan, the team's resilience, his recovery from the Candidates disappointment, and much more.
Tue, 6 October 2026
1 report- Times of India03:49
In the sixth instalment of TimesofIndia.com's series looking back at India's medal-winning campaigns at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Koneru Humpy opens up about playing through illness to help the women's team win bronze. The 39-year-old reveals how diarrhoea and stomach pain forced her to take medicines and play almost every day. Humpy also discusses the physical demands of playing 10 of 11 rounds, Vaishali's struggles, her busiest stretch of the season and what lies ahead.
Wed, 7 October 2026
1 report- Times of India05:10
In the final installment of TimesofIndia.com's series looking back at India's medal-winning campaigns at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Savitha Shri opens up about her remarkable breakthrough as India's only individual gold medallist. The 19-year-old recalls arriving as a reserve, playing all 10 rounds and delivering when India needed her most, while discussing her family's sacrifices, the team's bronze, Swayams Mishra's support and her goal of becoming a Grandmaster.
Sat, 10 October 2026
1 report- Times of India06:34
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay honoured the state's 2026 Chess Olympiad medallists, distributing Rs 60 lakh among five recipients. D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa received Rs 15 lakh each, while Savitha Shri, R Vaishali and captain Srinath Narayanan were awarded Rs 10 lakh each. The state also launched its Dream Olympics 2036 scheme to support athletes with training and nutrition costs.