44th Chess Olympiad

44th Chess Olympiad
Logo of the 44th Chess Olympiad
Logo of the 44th Chess Olympiad
Dates run 28 July – 9 August 2022
Competitors 1,737 (937 in Open and 800 in Women's event)
Teams
  • 188 (Open)
  • 162 (Women)
Nations
  • 186 (Open)
  • 160 (Women)
Opened by Narendra Modi
Cauldron Gukesh D and R Praggnanandhaa
Venue
Location Chennai, India
Podium
Open
Women
Best players
Open
Women
Other awards
Gaprindashvili Cup  India
Previous Batumi 2018
Next Budapest 2024

The 44th Chess Olympiad was an international team chess event organised by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) in Chennai, India, from 28 July to 10 August 2022. It consisted of Open and Women's tournaments, as well as several events to promote chess. The Olympiad was initially supposed to take place in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, the host of the Chess World Cup 2019, in August 2020, but it was later moved to Moscow. However, it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and then relocated to Chennai following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This was the first Chess Olympiad to take place in India.

The total number of participants was 1,737: 937 in the Open and 800 in the Women's event. The number of registered teams was 188 from 186 nations in the Open section and 162 from 160 nations in the Women's section; being the host nation, India had three teams participating in each section. Both sections set team participation records. The main venue of the Chess Olympiad was the convention centre at the Four Points by Sheraton, while the opening and closing ceremonies were held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The Chief Arbiter of the event was France's Laurent Freyd.

A total of 11 rounds were played in both the Open and Women's events, and each featured four players from one team facing four players from another team. Uzbekistan won the gold medal in the Open event, which was their second medal at the Chess Olympiad after having previously won a silver medal at the 1992, while Ukraine claimed their second gold in the Women's event after having previously won the 2006. English player David Howell had the highest performance for an individual player in the Open event with a performance rating of 2898 (he scored 7½ out of a possible 8 points). Polish player Oliwia Kiołbasa had the highest individual performance in the Women's event with a performance rating of 2565 (she scored 9½ of a possible 11 points).

The 93rd FIDE Congress also took place during the Olympiad, at which Arkady Dvorkovich was re-elected as FIDE President and former World Champion Viswanathan Anand was elected as FIDE Deputy President.