Dear -,
Greetings from the US Chess Sales weekly newsletter.This issue turns its spotlight to the upcoming 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Our featured story previews the historic event and explores the global field, team line-ups, and key match-ups to watch as nations prepare to battle for international glory on the 64 squares.
This week, US Chess Sales is welcoming the new season with the launch of our Fall Clearance Sale! For a limited time, enjoy exceptional value and deep markdowns on select chess sets, boards, digital clocks, and chess gear. Whether you are upgrading your tournament setup, building out your club gear, or expanding your training library, discover high-quality equipment at unbeatable clearance prices. Shop early to secure the best selection while available quantities last. Don't miss this opportunity to upgrade your game with US Chess Sales.
This week, US Chess Sales launches its weekly postings with "Chess Terms Every One You May Need To Know Part II." Continuing our essential guide to chess vocabulary, this article breaks down key positional, tactical, and tournament terminology. Readers will gain a clearer understanding of advanced concepts such as tempo, zugzwang, and pawn chains, helping them build confidence, communicate more effectively, and discuss their games with ease.
Our second blog post of the week at US Chess Sales, "Why is the Knight Chess Piece the Most Confusing? (And How to Master It)," dives deep into the board’s trickiest jumper. The guide explains the knight's unique L-shaped move, tactical outposts, fork potential, and sneaky movement patterns. Readers will pick up practical drills and positioning rules to master knight activity and avoid falling for sneaky tactics.
Wishing you great games this week,
The US Chess Sales Team
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Feature Story
Chess Olympiad 2026 Preview
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It’s that time again. Every two years, the chess world’s eyes turn eagerly toward the Chess Olympiad. The closest thing to an Olympic Games for chess, the Olympiad is a unique international event where national squads compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals.
Each Olympiad is hosted by a different country. This year, from September 15-28, one of the world’s premier chess nations, Uzbekistan, will proudly host the Olympiad in their “Jewel of the Silk Road,” the majestic city of Samarkand.
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Chess on a vast scale! The last Olympiad hosted over 2500 participants. Credit: Stefan64/wikimedia.org
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The World’s Biggest Team Chess Event
Since its official inception in 1927, the Chess Olympiad has been the world's largest team chess event. While only 16 countries entered the first edition, this year’s competition is expected to host nearly 200 national teams!
Each team consists of five players—four board players and one reserve. The Women’s Chess Olympiad runs in parallel with the Open at the same venue, and the Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy is awarded to the national team that achieves the best combined score in the Open and Women's events.
What Happened in 2024?
Indiadominated the 2024 Chess Olympiad Open in Budapest, Hungary, to bring home their first-ever Olympiad gold medals. Three of their five players Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, and Erigaisi, were 21 or under, and all three will be appearing again in 2026. The silver medal went to the USA and the bronze to Uzbekistan.
In the Women’s Olympiad, gold and silver medals went to India and the USA, respectively, while Armenia took bronze. India convincingly won the Nona Gaprindashvili award for the combined Open and Women’s results.
The Favorites for 2026
The three firm favorites for gold in the 2026 Open event are India, Uzbekistan, and theUSA, with some pundits reckoning that China, Germany, Turkey, and Azerbaijan could also be in the running for medals.
In the Women’s event, China, India, Kazakhstan, Poland, and Georgia are the top dogs.
What Are the USA’s Chances in the 2026 Open?
The USA has confirmed its squad for the 2026 Open, and the strength is intimidating. While Nakamura Hikaru is opting out of the Olympiad again, the USA still boasts phenomenal depth. All five players are ranked among the top 35 in the latest FIDE classical ratings, making them one of the most formidable squads in the world:
Fabiano Caruana Wesley So Hans Niemann (Olympiad debut) Levon Aronian Awonder Liang (Olympiad debut) Captain: IM John Donaldson Trainer: GM Grigory Oparin
While most will have their money on India to defend their crown with their star-studded young team, the USA and Uzbekistan both have strong enough squads to challenge for gold.
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How You Can Follow the 2026 Olympiad
As one of the planet’s premier chess events, the Olympiad is easy to watch from anywhere in the world. Chess.com and lichess.org will both be relaying games with optional engine evaluation, and plenty of chess channels will be covering the action on YouTube as well.
Check pairings, standings, and results on the official FIDE Olympiad website throughout the tournament.
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Chess Terms Every One You May Need To Know Part II
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If chess commentary sometimes sounds like another language, this guide can help. Explore essential terminology for tactical patterns, checkmates, chess pieces, time controls, tournament structures, and historical traditions. Learn the meaning behind terms such as decoy, interference, desperado, back rank mate, opposite-colored bishops, increment, Elo rating, patzer, simul, and brilliancy. |
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Why Is the Knight Chess Piece the Most Confusing?
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If you want to start teaching chess to a new player, maybe a friend of family member, you are going to start by teaching them how the pieces move. The pawn is a little weird, but they can grasp that one quickly enough. The bishop and rook are not too difficult, and the queen moves like both of those combined. The king, well, it just moves like a worse queen. No, the problem arrives on horseback. Why is the knight so confusing, and how can you master it? |
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