Chess Olympiad : Full list of title winners
India won Chess Olympiad for the first time in 2024.
The Chess Olympiad is a biennial chess tournament in which teams representing nations of the world compete. FIDE organises the tournament and selects the host nation. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, FIDE held an Online Chess Olympiad in 2020 and 2021, with a rapid time control that affected players’ online ratings. The use of the name “Chess Olympiad” for FIDE’s team championship is of historical origin and implies no connection with the Olympic Games.
The first Olympiad was unofficial. For the 1924 Olympics an attempt was made to include chess in the Olympic Games but this failed because of problems with distinguishing between amateur and professional players.
While the 1924 Summer Olympics was taking place in Paris, the 1st unofficial Chess Olympiad also took place in Paris. FIDE organised the first Official Olympiad in 1927 which took place in London. The Olympiads were occasionally held annually and at irregular intervals until World War II; since 1950 they have been held regularly every two years
India lifted secured its first Chess Olympiad in 2024 after it claimed the gold medal in the open section of the 45th edition of the tournament which took place in Hungary from September 10 to 23. To top it, India also claimed gold in the women’s section, making it an incredible double for the nation. The United States finished second, while defending champion Uzbekistan finished third. Soviet Union/Russia is the most successful country in the history of Chess Olympiad, with a combined total of 24 titles.
Also Read: History of India’s performance at Chess Olympiad over the years
Chess Olympiad title winners list (Open event)
| Year | Olympiad Type | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
| 1924 | 1st unofficial Chess Olympiad | Czechoslovakia (31) | Hungary (30) | Switzerland (29) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1926 | 2nd unofficial Chess Olympiad | Hungary (9) | Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (8) | Romania (5) |
| 1927 | 1st Chess Olympiad | Hungary (40) | Denmark (38½) | England (36½) |
| 1928 | 2nd Chess Olympiad | Hungary (44) | United States (39½) | Poland (37) |
| 1930 | 3rd Chess Olympiad | Poland (48½) | Hungary (47) | Germany (44½ |
| 1931 | 4th Chess Olympiad | United States (48) | Poland (47) | Czechoslovakia (46½) |
| 1933 | 5th Chess Olympiad | United States (39) | Czechoslovakia (37½) | Sweden (34) |
| 1935 | 6th Chess Olympiad | United States (54) | Sweden (52½) | Poland (52) |
| 1936 | 3rd unofficial Chess Olympiad (non-FIDE) | Hungary (110½) | Poland (108) | Germany (106½) |
| 1937 | 7th Chess Olympiad | United States (54½) | Hungary (48½) | Poland (47) |
| 1939 | 8th Chess Olympiad | Germany (36) | Poland (35½) | Estonia (33½) |
| 1950 | 9th Chess Olympiad | Yugoslavia (45½) | Argentina (43½) | West Germany (40½) |
| 1952 | 10th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (21) | Argentina (19½) | Yugoslavia (19) |
| 1954 | 11th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (34) | Argentina (27) | Yugoslavia (26½) |
| 1956 | 12th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (31) | Yugoslavia (26½) | Hungary (26½) |
| 1958 | 13th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (34½) | Yugoslavia (29) | Argentina (25½) |
| 1960 | 14th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (34) | United States (29) | Yugoslavia (27) |
| 1962 | 15th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (31½) | Yugoslavia (28) | Argentina (26) |
| 1964 | 16th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (36½) | Yugoslavia (32) | West Germany (30½) |
| 1966 | 17th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (39½) | United States (34½) | Hungary (33½) |
| 1968 | 18th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (39½) | Yugoslavia (31) | Bulgaria (30) |
| 1970 | 19th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (27½) | Hungary (26½) | Yugoslavia (26) |
| 1972 | 20th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (42) | Hungary (40½) | Yugoslavia (38) |
| 1974 | 21st Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (46) | Yugoslavia (37½) | United States (36½) |
| 1976 | 22nd Chess Olympiad | United States (37) | Netherlands (36½) | England (35½) |
| 1978 | 23rd Chess Olympiad | Hungary (37) | Soviet Union (36) | United States (35) |
| 1980 | 24th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (39) | Hungary (39) | Yugoslavia (35) |
| 1982 | 25th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (42½) | Czechoslovakia (36) | United States (35) |
| 1984 | 26th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (41) | England (37) | United States (35) |
| 1986 | 27th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (40) | England (39) | United States (38) |
| 1988 | 28th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (40½) | England (34½) | Netherlands (34½) |
| 1990 | 29th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (39) | United States (35½) | England (35½) |
| 1992 | 30th Chess Olympiad | Russia (39) | Uzbekistan (35) | Armenia (34½) |
| 1994 | 31st Chess Olympiad | Russia (37½) | Bosnia and Herzegovina (35) | Russia “B” (34½) |
| 1996 | 32nd Chess Olympiad | Russia (38½) | Ukraine (35) | United States (34) |
| 1998 | 33rd Chess Olympiad | Russia (35½) | United States (34½) | Ukraine (32½) |
| 2000 | 34th Chess Olympiad | Russia (38) | Germany (37) | Ukraine (35½) |
| 2002 | 35th Chess Olympiad | Russia (38½) | Hungary (37) | Armenia (35) |
| 2004 | 36th Chess Olympiad | Ukraine (39½) | Russia (36½) | Armenia (36½) |
| 2006 | 37th Chess Olympiad | Armenia (36) | China (34) | United States (33) |
| 2008 | 38th Chess Olympiad | Armenia (19) | Israel (18) | United States (17) |
| 2010 | 39th Chess Olympiad | Ukraine (19) | Russia (18) | Israel (17) |
| 2012 | 40th Chess Olympiad | Armenia (19) | Russia (19) | Ukraine (18) |
| 2014 | 41st Chess Olympiad | China (19) | Hungary (17) | India (17) |
| 2016 | 42nd Chess Olympiad | United States (20) | Ukraine (20) | Russia (18) |
| 2018 | 43rd Chess Olympiad | China (18) | United States (18) | Russia (18) |
| 2020 | Online Chess Olympiad(Virtual) | India = Russia | – | United States |
| 2022 | 44th Chess Olympiad | Uzbekistan | Armenia | India 2 |
| 2024 | 45th Chess Olympiad | India | United States | Uzbekistan |
Women’s Chess Olympiad :
The Women’s Chess Olympiad is an event held by FIDE (the International Chess Federation) since 1957 (every two years since 1972), where national women’s teams compete at chess for gold, silver and bronze medals. Since 1976 the Women’s Chess Olympiad has been incorporated within Chess Olympiad events, with simultaneous women’s and open tournament.
Soviet Union has won it the most 11 times. It has also been won by Hungary (twice) and Israeli (once in 1976). In the post-Soviet era, China have won the event six times, Georgia – four times, Russia – three times, Ukraine – two times and India – once.
Women’s Chess Olympiad title winners list
| Year | Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | 1st Women’s Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (10½) | Romania (10½) | East Germany (10) |
| 1963 | 2nd Women’s Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (25) | Yugoslavia (24½) | East Germany (21) |
| 1966 | 3rd Women’s Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (22) | Romania (20½) | East Germany (17) |
| 1969 | 4th Women’s Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (26) | Hungary (20½) | Czechoslovakia(19) |
| 1972 | 20th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (11½) | Romania (8) | Hungary(8) |
| 1974 | 6th Women’s Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (13½) | Romania (13½) | Bulgaria (13) |
| 1976 | 22nd Chess Olympiad | Israel (17) | England (11½) | Spain (11½) |
| 1978 | 23rd Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (16) | Hungary (11) | West Germany (11) |
| 1980 | 24th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (32½) | Hungary (32) | Poland (26½) |
| 1982 | 25th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (33) | Romania (30) | Hungary (26) |
| 1984 | 26th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (32) | Bulgaria (27½) | Romania (27) |
| 1986 | 27th Chess Olympiad | Soviet Union (33½) | Hungary (29) | Romania (28) |
| 1988 | 28th Chess Olympiad | Hungary (33) | Soviet Union (32½) | Yugoslavia (28) |
| 1990 | 29th Chess Olympiad | Hungary (35) | Soviet Union (35) | China (29) |
| 1992 | 30th Chess Olympiad | Georgia (30½) | Ukraine (29) | China (28½) |
| 1994 | 31st Chess Olympiad | Georgia (32) | Hungary (31) | China (27) |
| 1996 | 32nd Chess Olympiad | Georgia (30) | China (28½) | Russia (28½) |
| 1998 | 33rd Chess Olympiad | China (29) | Russia (27) | Georgia (27) |
| 2000 | 34th Chess Olympiad | China (32) | Georgia (31) | Russia (28½) |
| 2002 | 35th Chess Olympiad | China (29½) | Russia (29) | Poland (28) |
| 2004 | 36th Chess Olympiad | China (31) | United States (28) | Russia (27½) |
| 2006 | 37th Chess Olympiad | Ukraine (29½) | Russia (28) | China (27½) |
| 2008 | 38th Chess Olympiad | Georgia (18) | Ukraine (18) | United States (17) |
| 2010 | 39th Chess Olympiad | Russia (22) | China (18) | Georgia (16) |
| 2012 | 40th Chess Olympiad | Russia (19) | China (19) | Ukraine (18) |
| 2014 | 41st Chess Olympiad | Russia (20) | China (18) | Ukraine (18) |
| 2016 | 42nd Chess Olympiad | China (20) | Poland (17) | Ukraine (17) |
| 2018 | 43rd Chess Olympiad | China (18) | Ukraine 18 | Georgia (17) |
| 2022 | 44th Chess Olympiad | Ukraine (18) | Georgia (18) | India (17) |
| 2024 | 45th Chess Olympiad | India (19) | Kazakhstan (18) | United States (17) |
For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram
- Top 10 best moments in Indian sports in 2024
- Indian players to win FIDE World Chess Championship
- D Gukesh withdraws from FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships in New York
- A look at Gukesh Dommaraju's journey to becoming youngest world chess champion
- World champion Gukesh confirms participation at Norway Chess 2025