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Chess Olympiad 2026

Round 8

370 of 376 games finished, 75% of them decisive. 15 teams won 4–0. China had the best team performance, 2551.

CompleteUpdated 28 Sept 2026, 16:38 CEST, 6 forfeits

Round 8 in numbers

370

games finished of 376

75%

decisive; White scored 53%

45

moves per game

110

moves in the longest game

Results

149

White wins, 40%

93

draws, 25%

128

Black wins, 35%

47 checkmates on the board, 28 draws by repetition, 3 stalemates, 5 draws before move 30 and 6 forfeits.

Left out of the statistics: Esther Combs – Bouavone Keosavangh — the broadcast did not record the moves that were played. The result 0–1 stands (verify, 24 Sep: board 224 Combs – Keosavangh scored 0-1 (chess-results) but the relay's last eval, after move 38…, has White mating (#6) with 1:15 on her clock; the game ended in a way the relay did not record).

Left out of the statistics: Syringa Lyn Camp – Wissal Echcharbiny — the broadcast did not record the moves that were played. The result 0–1 stands (verify, 24 Sep: board 276 Camp – Echcharbiny scored 0-1 (chess-results agrees) but the relay's last eval, after move 50…, has White mating (#8); the relay stopped early or mis-registered a move).

Accuracy and time

86.2%

average accuracy, as Lichess scores it

3.09

blunders per game

838

mistakes, as Lichess marks them

1,134

blunders, as Lichess marks them

2:18

average time per move

12%

of moves played with under 5 minutes left

Lichess analysed 367 of 368 finished games, with 2,039 inaccuracies, 838 mistakes and 1,134 blunders. Times come from the relay clocks of 361 games. The extra 30 minutes after move 40 showed up on move 41 or 42 for 65% of 308 players, and never for 51 players who went past move 45.

Game awards

Player awards

Ratings, titles and ages

Clock awards

Not awarded this round: Flag Fall.

From the relay clocks of 361 of 368 finished games; games with missing, hand-entered or corrected clocks are left out, and time left after move 40 counts only once the clock shows the extra 30 minutes.

Engine awards

From Lichess’s computer analysis of 367 of 368 finished games. 1 more join when the round is updated the next evening. Inaccuracies, mistakes and blunders are the ones Lichess marks on the move.

Chess culture

Never Play f6

44% scored by all who tried

6 more, tied

Ben Finegold says never push the f-pawn one square. These players did it by move 10 (f3 or …f6) and won anyway.

Not awarded this round: Short’s King Walk.

Homages to chess memes, famous games and Samarkand lore, meant kindly. Brilliant!!, Botez Gambit and The Carlsen Grind use Lichess’s analysis of 367 of 368 finished games; the rest look at every finished game.

Collections

En Passant

17en passants

14 more

Every en passant capture of the round.

Family Fork

10forks

7 more

A knight gave check and attacked the queen at the same time, from a square where it could not simply be taken. The ones that won the queen come first.

Holy Hell

11left alone

8 more

En passant was on the board and the player left it alone. En passant is forced, allegedly.

Poisoned Pawn

7pawn grabs

4 more

The queen grabbed the b-pawn (Qxb7 or …Qxb2) by move 15. Fischer’s favourite snack; the result tells whether it was poisoned.

Greek Gift

7sacrifices

4 more

The classic bishop sacrifice on h7 (or …h2): the bishop took the pawn with check.

Connect Four

4rows of pawns

1 more

Four or more pawns side by side on one rank beyond their starting rank. The first row of each player is listed, the longest first.

Irish Pawn Centre

6Irish centres

3 more

Three pawns on one file, one behind the other. The first time for each player is listed.

Royal Court

8third queens

5 more

A third queen on the board.

Not awarded this round: Underpromotion, Shahrukh, Pawn Cube, Pawn Diamond, The Hard One.

The awards that list every case instead of crowning one, read from the position on every move; the overview counts them across the rounds. The Hard One, Il Vaticano, the pawn shapes and Royal Court may well stay empty for a round or two.

Match awards

Whitewash

15matches

12 more

Won the match 4–0, forfeits included.

Comeback Match

9matches

6 more

Lost on board 1 and still won the match.

Treaty of Samarkand

2matches

A 2–2 match of four draws, peace signed on every board.

Rates over each team’s finished games of the round, four needed. The event-wide team awards, the category leaders and the board race are on the standings page.

Teams: style

Space Invaders

46.18per 100 moves

Most moves into the opponent's half per 100 of the team's own moves.

Check, Please

10.25checks per game

Most checks given per game over the team's finished games.

The Late Knight Show

7.5per game

Most knight moves from move 31 on, per game, over the team's finished games.

Chicken Nation

23.2retreats per 100 moves

Most retreating moves per 100 of the team's own moves; castling never counts.

Forward March

6.42retreats per 100 moves

Fewest retreating moves per 100 of the team's own moves.

Pawn Pushers

35.37pawn moves per 100 moves

Most pawn moves per 100 of the team's own moves.

Wandering Kings

14.5king moves per game

Most king moves per game over the team's finished games.

Safety First

5.33average castling move

Earliest castling on average, over the games in which the team castled at all.

Finishers

2checkmates

6 more, tied

Most checkmates delivered on the board.

Déjà Vu

3½identical moves

3 more, tied

Two of the team's games with the same colour that followed the same moves for longest; both are listed.

Teams: clocks

Deep Thinkers

3:11per move

Most seconds per move over the team's games with usable clocks.

Quick Draw

1:11per move

Fewest seconds per move over the team's games with usable clocks.

Zeitnot Nation

49.4% under five minutes

Highest share of moves played with under five minutes on the clock.

Time in the Bank

1:10:59left on average

Most time left on the clock after the last move, on average.

Over the relay clocks of 361 of 368 finished games; a team needs four such games.

Teams: engine

Notable games

Game phases

11

moves of opening

18

moves of middlegame

20

moves of endgame

Averages per game, with the phases split as Lichess splits them. 82% of the games reached an endgame; the first capture came on move 6.9 on average.

Endgames by type

EndgameReachedAt the end
Rook5842
Queen and rook2913
Bishop2320
King and pawn2216
Queen2015
Knight2014

A rook endgame has nothing but kings, pawns and rooks left; the others likewise, as the Lichess puzzle tagger defines them. A game can pass through several types, so the first column adds up to more than the games.

Reached, and still there at the end

Each band runs from the games that reached the endgame to those that still had it on the last move; the rest went on into another type. One scale for both columns.

ReachedAt the endRook 5842Queen and rook 2913Bishop 2320King and pawn 2216Knight 2014Queen 2015

Tactics

Openings

First moves

  1. 1.e4
    56%
  2. 1.d4
    36%
  3. 1.Nf3
    5%
  4. 1.c4
    2%
  5. 1.f4
    0%

Share of all finished games. Opening names and ECO codes come from Lichess, based on the position reached.

Every opening of the round

The round’s openings as a tree: the five volumes of the opening encyclopaedia (A flank openings, B semi-open games, C open games and the French, D closed games and the Grünfeld, E Indian defences), their families, and every variation played. A line grows with the games through it; the red thread leads to the round’s rarest openings.

ABird Opening 1King's Indian Attack 5Zukertort Opening 3Réti Opening 2English Opening 12English Defense 2Horwitz Defense 2Queen's Pawn Game 3Benoni Defense 4Indian Defense 13Trompowsky Attack 1Yusupov-Rubinstein System 1East Indian Defense 3London System 1Benko Gambit 1Benko Gambit Accepted 2Dutch Defense 5BNimzowitsch Defense 1Rat Defense 1Scandinavian Defense 7Alekhine Defense 1Modern Defense 4Pirc Defense 6Caro-Kann Defense 28Sicilian Defense 64CFrench Defense 31Danish Gambit Accepted 1Bishop's Opening 2Philidor Defense 6Petrov's Defense 1Ponziani Opening 2Scotch Game 3Four Knights Game 12Italian Game 29Ruy Lopez 12DQueen's Pawn Game 29Rapport-Jobava System, with e6 1Rubinstein Opening 3Queen's Gambit Declined 20Slav Defense 9Queen's Gambit Accepted 3Semi-Slav Defense 3Grünfeld Defense 2EIndian Defense 2Catalan Opening 4Queen's Indian Defense 5Nimzo-Indian Defense 7King's Indian Defense 8

Point at a line or a name to name the opening; click to open it on Lichess.Tap a name to name the opening; tap it again to open it on Lichess.

Which openings won

A bar per family: White’s wins, the draws, Black’s wins. The tick is the family’s score for White, the grey line the round’s; a tick right of it, and White did better than usual. Framed in red, the best for White and the best for Black of the families with at least 5 games.

Round: White 53%gamesSicilian DefenseQueen's Pawn GameFrench DefenseItalian GameCaro-Kann DefenseQueen's Gambit Decl…Indian DefenseEnglish OpeningFour Knights GameRuy LopezSlav DefenseKing's Indian DefenseNimzo-Indian DefenseScandinavian DefensePhilidor DefensePirc DefenseDutch DefenseKing's Indian AttackQueen's Indian Defe…Benoni DefenseCatalan OpeningModern DefenseEast Indian DefenseQueen's Gambit Acc…Rubinstein Opening64323129282015121212987766555444333
The numbers
FamilyGamesWhite winsDrawsBlack winsWhite’s score
Sicilian Defense6421241952%
Queen's Pawn Game321131839%
French Defense31168765%
Italian Game29155960%
Caro-Kann Defense28913655%
Queen's Gambit Declined20113663%
Indian Defense1572653%
English Opening1213821%
Four Knights Game1253454%
Ruy Lopez1254358%
Slav Defense934256%
King's Indian Defense841356%
Nimzo-Indian Defense711521%
Scandinavian Defense750271%
Philidor Defense641175%
Pirc Defense630350%
Dutch Defense521250%
King's Indian Attack512240%
Queen's Indian Defense531170%
Benoni Defense420250%
Catalan Opening412150%
Modern Defense402225%
East Indian Defense311150%
Queen's Gambit Accepted312067%
Rubinstein Opening301217%

Best for White

OpeningGamesWhite’s score
B07 Pirc Defense560%
B30 Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack560%
C54 Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with h6658%
D00 Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System856%

Best for Black

OpeningGamesWhite’s score
A13 English Opening: Agincourt Defense510%
B19 Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation540%
D10 Slav Defense: Exchange Variation550%
D00 Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System856%

Openings with at least 5 games.

Rarest openings of the round

Pieces

8,373

pawn moves, 25%

5,570

knight moves, 17%

4,871

bishop moves, 15%

5,736

rook moves, 17%

4,439

queen moves, 13%

4,303

king moves, 13%

Captured and surviving

PieceCapturedStill on the board at the end
pawns3,10746%
knights1,22017%
bishops1,12424%
rooks83843%
queens49240%

Checkmates

47on the board

29 by White, 18 by Black

Mating pieceGames
Queen31
  1. move 10Rhonda J Lambert GRN mated Beckley, Jerelyn Adeshola Mary SLE
  2. move 13Elumalai, Sibani Sri LCA mated Hourra mahamat Bagamla CHA
  3. move 17de Araujo, Maria Soares TLS mated Isma Ismaila Djailane COM
  4. move 17Kapende Shalom MAW mated KOUNDOU BALLAMA MAGARAM MALARAM NIG
  5. move 22BAHATI Mbebe, Claudine COD mated Aluel Elizabeth Akuei Deng SSD
  6. move 25Lukai Marguerite VAN mated Grant, Nicole ANT
  7. move 34Edwards, Masika DMA mated Corro, Roxanne PLW
  8. move 35Lin Lin Htet MYA mated Keita, Mariame Seth GUI
  9. move 35Bousselmi, Chahd TUN mated Williams, Diana BAH
  10. move 38Lobo Jimenez, Mariana Esther PAN mated ALSANEA,MASHAEL ABDULMOHSEN MOHAMMED KSA
  11. move 39Senthilkumar, Abiramy GRN mated Farmer, Mary Salamatu SLE
  12. move 40Alafoo, Zainab BRN mated Lazzarini, Giulia SMR
  13. move 41Sougoule, Manangbe GUI mated May Myint Myat MYA
  14. move 41Isabella Brisbane LBR mated Chin, Chane-Ann IVB
  15. move 41Briem, Gudrun Fanney ISL mated Guzman Garcia, Mia Fernanda MEX
  16. move 42Chen, Chi TPE mated Mitsuyama, Rikka JPN
  17. move 43Sihanath, Souphaphone LAO mated Justo, Alexis Rian GUM
  18. move 44Carrillo Marval, Maria Angelica PAN mated Abrar Mohammed Ahmad Almalki KSA
  19. move 44Mucowinganji M.E Alicia Keys BDI mated Corpuz, Luisa FIJ
  20. move 47Majid, Zara CAY mated Flores, Rose Ann PIN-AG CAM
  21. move 51Mejia, Camila HON mated Pg Hj Janudin, Dk Siti Haziqah BRU
  22. move 53Munoz Cortez, Anahi Alexandra NCA mated Dotse Sumya Ibrahim GHA
  23. move 54Castillo Pena, Patricia Evarista DOM mated Fareeha Saddique PAK
  24. move 55Rodriguez Arrieta, Maria Elena CRC mated Santiago Sontay, Jenny Fernanda GUA
  25. move 56Beekhy, Aamirah MRI mated Samiro Mohamed Ali SOM
  26. move 56Aubeeluck, Manusha MRI mated Muniro Hussein Ismail SOM
  27. move 58Aluong Riak Thon Ajak SSD mated Omari Tshibola Sagesse COD
  28. move 64Sara Mohamed SUD mated Jubitana, Vanilla CUR
  29. move 70Ollet, Myra GUM mated Maly Inthavong LAO
  30. move 79Cori T., Deysi PER mated Sivanandan, Bodhana ENG
  31. move 81Pema Yangsel Dorji BHU mated Al Mughaizwi, Muna OMA
Rook11
  1. move 26Min Amarawatti MYA mated Gassama, Nsira GUI
  2. move 30Calvary John Khamis Kamunde SSD mated Kisita, Hatty COD
  3. move 30Belqis Gunesh AFG mated Ngozo Tivumile SWZ
  4. move 32Sele, Timea LIE mated Williams, Kalima ISV
  5. move 33Thurner, Anya NZL mated Jaramillo Rivadeneira, Kerly Samantha ECU
  6. move 40Yaqoob, Wafa BRN mated Giannini, Cristina SMR
  7. move 41Boyle, Sonia SLE mated Achazia N.A.Lewis GRN
  8. move 44Sankya, Tracy COD mated Julia Achok Arkangelo Miakol SSD
  9. move 47dos Santos, Elfiana TLS mated Nasra Kamal Ibrahim COM
  10. move 51Naira Sinoia MOZ mated Anahi Rishit Shah TAN
  11. move 53Schippke, Manon FRA mated Rubinshtein, Kamilla ITA
Bishop0
Knight2
  1. move 28Bobb, Ateila ANT mated Enock Mathilde VAN
  2. move 46Age, Luciana PNG mated Manavalan, Muthu Pooja SEY
Pawn3
  1. move 32MICHAEL, Bridget NGR mated Pontso Makhebesela LES
  2. move 34Delrieu Lou-Anne VAN mated Thomas, Alicia ANT
  3. move 43Niang, Khady SEN mated Sophia Burch BER

The mating piece is read from the final position. A piece opens onto its mates.

Board heatmap

Darker means more moves, on a square-root scale.

Busiest squares

  1. d51,182
  2. d41,171
  3. e41,134
  4. f61,051
  5. e51,040

Quietest square with any traffic: a1, 109.

Where the pieces went in the finished games of the round.