Eight players head to 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary

Thinley Namgay 

Eight national chess players will represent Bhutan at the prestigious 45th Chess Olympiad, to be held in Budapest, Hungary, from September 10 to 23.

The team, a blend of students and professionals, includes four students and four working adults, three of whom are engineers.

Like all participating countries, Bhutan will compete in both the open and the women’s teams. In the open team, both men and women will participate.

The Chess Olympiad, organised by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), is the premier global chess competition, held biennially.

This year, Budapest is set to host over 1,800 players, with 193 national teams registered in the open section and 181 women’s teams vying to establish their chess supremacy.

Bhutan will participate in both the open and women’s categories, with the team set to face 22 matches, including 88 individual games.

The Olympiad serves as a platform where top-tier players from across the globe gather to showcase their chess prowess and learn from one another.

The interim president of Bhutan Chess Federation’s (BCF), Thinley Palden Dorji, who is leading the Bhutanese delegation, said that the Bhutanese team is optimistic about the competition.

“It will be challenging for our team to defeat world-class players but I expect some improvement in our international ranking,” he said, adding that the BCF could have sent more players to the competition if it not for financial constraints. 

Currently, Bhutan stands 171st in world chess ranking among 190 countries.

Thinley Palden Dorji said that besides competing in national tournaments, Bhutanese players received commendable online training from International Master Atanu Lahiri from India after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with him in December last year.

Team Bhutan will leave the country on September 9 and arrive at the venue on September 10.

Bhutan will play 22 matches in total: 11 matches in open team section and 11 matches in the women’s team competition. “In 22 matches, we will play 88 individual games. Four games make up a match,” Thinley Palden Dorji said.

In addition to the chess matches, the Olympiad will feature an array of side events, including conferences, exhibitions, and artistic performances, highlighting the cultural and social impact of the game.

The event will also incorporate cutting-edge technology, such as a 5G high-speed wireless network, real-time visual broadcasts, and innovative chess boards for the visually impaired.

To promote inclusivity, diversity, and support for displaced individuals, the organisers have included a chess team from the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, under the approval of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. 

Participant Pema Yangsel, a Class XII science student at Ugyen Academy in Punakha, who is making her second appearance at the Chess Olympiad said that it is an important international event.  “I am excited for the tournament. We received good training, and I am optimistic about making improvements to our international ranking.”

Another player, Bhakta, an engineer, said that the Bhutanese team is strong. “I hope to win some games and beat a few master-level players.”

Officials and players believe that Bhutan’s chess representation at both national and international levels has improved over the last four years. 

After forming a chess club in 2021, Bhutan participated in the 44th Chess Olympiad in India in 2022, after eight years of inactivity in the chess federation. The country also competed in the inaugural World School Team Chess Championship in Kazakhstan last year.

Before 2022, the only major international chess tournament Bhutanese players participated in was the 2014 Chess Olympiad in Norway, where five players represented the country. 

Chess enthusiasts regard the sport as a sustainable one, enhancing creative thinking, planning skills, and focus, among others. Unlike other sports, chess does not require many facilities and can be played online.

The main challenges for chess development in Bhutan include limited equipment and lack of  professional trainers, budget constraints and limited exposure to international competition.

The first official Chess Olympiad, held in London in 1927, featured 16 nations. The Olympiads were held occasionally and at irregular intervals until World War II. Since 1950, the event has become a biennial fixture.