An Arbiter's Perspective: 3rd FIDE Chess Olympiad for Players with Disabilities

IA/IO Carlos Chavez is the Executive Directors of the storied Marshall Chess Club in Manhattan, NY. Last month, he traveled to Samarkand, Uzbekistan to work as a Match Arbiter for the 3rd FIDE Olympiad for People with Disabilities.

He documented his experience in The Marshall Spectator newsletter, and, with permission from the Spectator and from Chavez, we are reprinting his article here.

Review all of Chess Life Online's coverage from Samarkand here.

Empowerment, accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion were not only words spoken but principles put into practice at the 3rd FIDE Chess Olympiad for Players with Disabilities. I had the privilege of serving as a match arbiter at this historic event in Samarkand, where I witnessed the success of creating a fair and welcoming playing field for chess players with disabilities.

Chavez (R) with Match Assistants Mohi (L) and Shahlo. (Photo courtesy Carlos Chavez)

As an arbiter, organizer, and chess player with a physical disability myself, I immediately understood the importance of an event where we could come together to officiate, compete, and celebrate chess on a fair and level playing field under the FIDE Laws of Chess. I would like to take you on this meaningful journey, which deeply influenced my understanding of what it means to be an arbiter, organizer, chess player, and human being.

Day 1 — September 9

Day 1 began with my arrival in Samarkand at 7 a.m. after a 22-hour journey from JFK to Istanbul and then from Istanbul to Samarkand. A shuttle bus picked up the players and arbiters at the airport and transported us to the Samarkand Silk Road Complex, a sprawling international resort and tourist attraction.

Later that evening, we met with the organizers, Chief Arbiter, Deputy Arbiters, Sector Arbiters, and Match Arbiters for brief introductions and an overview of our duties and responsibilities for the days ahead.

Day 2 — September 10

Day 2 began with an early follow-up meeting where we were assigned to our respective Sector Arbiters and began preparations for Round 1 the following day. We reviewed protocols and prepared scoresheets, clipboards, pens, and an appropriate playing hall for the competition.

Later that evening, all the players and arbiters attended the opening ceremony at the Minyoun Hotel. The ceremony featured opening remarks from representatives of the Uzbekistan Chess Federation, Chair of the Players with Disabilities Commission Thomas Luther, and Secretary Nikolaos Kalesis, along with unforgettable Uzbek music, dance, and cultural performances.

Day 3 — Round 1, September 11

Round 1 took place on Friday, September 11, at 3:00 p.m. Uzbekistan is nine hours ahead of New York, so it was only 6:00 a.m. back home, and I was still overcoming my jet lag.

For the first round, I was assigned to the Brazil vs. Philippines match, which ended 3½–½ in favor of the Philippines. This first match presented me with several unique situations that required me to make quick adjustments.

Right before the round started, I was informed by the Brazilian captain that the player on Board 1 was visually impaired and had brought her own chess set. I was also informed that the Brazilian player on Board 2 needed additional cushioning on his chair to see and reach the board more comfortably.

I spoke with my Sector Arbiter, and we were able to quickly make the necessary adjustments and find appropriate solutions to meet the players’ needs. The following day, both players thanked me for the efficient way we addressed their specific needs and created an adequate playing environment for them.

Days 4–8 — September 12–17

These were the days when I became fully immersed in the magnitude and importance of the 3rd FIDE Chess Olympiad for Players with Disabilities.

I was officially assigned to the Spanish team for the remainder of the event because they needed a fluent Spanish speaker. All of the Spanish players were visually impaired, which required them to use their own chess sets and additional tables. Spain was the only team whose match required seven tables instead of the usual four.

Spanish Chess Team. From left: David Lago, Alejandro Colomar, Jose Vela Ignacio, Iraida Casadevall Mainau, and Captain Pablo Martinez. (Photo courtesy Carlos Chavez)

When their opponents also needed assistants, we sometimes had 13–14 people involved in a single match. This required me to carefully oversee communication and coordination between the players and assistants.

This was the most demanding match of the event. The Spanish players would make their moves on their boards, while their assistants would enter the moves on the DGT board, press the clock, and record the moves on the scoresheets. When the opponent made a move, they would call it out, or the assistant would announce the move and press the clock.

This process required mutual agreement, understanding, patience, and clear communication among everyone involved on each board.

The second round pitted Spain against Argentina, which immediately made me think of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

I felt honored to be the Match Arbiter for this match. Both teams played their hearts out for their countries, and both captains were extremely passionate about supporting their players.

At one point, we had to make an adjustment and provide the Argentine player on Board 4 with an assistant. He was among the oldest players in the tournament and was having difficulty following the procedure we were using for players and assistants to call out moves and press the clock.

The match ended 3–1 in Argentina’s favor, although Spain came close to making it 2–2.

Spain cruised through Round 3 against Zimbabwe, although the match presented its own challenges when one of the Zimbabwean players could not continue the game because of a severe headache and had to forfeit. The final result was 3½–½ in favor of Spain.

In the remaining rounds, Spain lost to Croatia and Türkiye and drew against Uzbekistan 2 and IPCA (International Physically Disabled Chess Association).

The final game on Board 3 featured an excellent comeback victory by Spanish player Iraida Casadevall Mainau, who capitalized on her opponent’s careless blunder on move 48. The game can be viewed below:

It was a memorable way for Iraida to end the tournament after losing two of her previous three games.

The Closing Ceremony

The event concluded with Poland as champions, Cuba as runners-up, and Uzbekistan in third place.

The closing ceremony included awards for individual board winners and special awards, including those recognizing the youngest and oldest players, among others. There was also plenty of Uzbek music, singing, dancing, and cultural celebration.

Awards ceremony. From left: Cuba (silver), Poland (gold), and Uzbekistan (bronze). (Photo courtesy Carlos Chavez)

You can see the full broadcast coverage here and the day-to-day news coverage of the event here.

Congratulations to all 40 participating nations and to the winners!

A Rewarding Professional Experience

It was a pleasure and a rewarding professional experience to officiate the matches of the Spanish national team. The close supervision, attention to detail, and ability to make quick adjustments strengthened my officiating skills and prepared me for the demands of an event of this magnitude.

In the evenings, I was fortunate to spend time with colleagues from around the world and visit the cultural and historical sites of Samarkand, including the Silk Road Complex, Registan Square, The Eternal City, Siyob Dehqon Bozori, Tilla-Kori Mosque, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Makon Mall, and Alisher Navoi Central Park.

These experiences allowed me to become more familiar with the local life, culture, and people of Samarkand. They also gave me the opportunity to connect with my peers from Brazil, Algeria, Israel, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, Czechia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, as well as the wonderful volunteers and assistants who greatly helped me with my matches and contributed significantly to the overall success of the event.

A Meaningful Lesson

The opportunity to be part of the 3rd FIDE Chess Olympiad for Players with Disabilities allowed me to meet talented organizers, arbiters, players, and wonderful people from Uzbekistan and around the world.

Because of this experience, I am a better arbiter, organizer, and human being.

Chief Arbiter Nebojsa Baralic (L) and Chavez. (Photo courtesy Carlos Chavez)

One of the biggest lessons I learned from this tournament is that you have to be human. You have to make the necessary accommodations and adjustments while maintaining the integrity of the FIDE Laws of Chess and the spirit of honorable competition.

What also became very clear once each round began was the players’ determination to play their best, compete fairly, and elevate the importance of this prestigious tournament.

The next Olympiad is scheduled for 2028 in Abu Dhabi, with potentially more than 60 nations participating. This is great for chess, for FIDE, and, most importantly, for players with disabilities. I hope to be a part of it and contribute to its continued success.

Thank You

I would also like to thank the Marshall Chess Club and Beatriz Marinello for encouraging and recommending me to serve as a Match Arbiter.

I would also like to thank FIDE Chair of the Players with Disabilities Commission Thomas Luther; Secretary Nikolaos Kalesis; Chief Arbiter Nebojsa Baralic; Deputy Arbiters Barbara Isabel López Chávez and Swapnil Bansod; and my Sector Arbiters Alon Shulman, Jamie Kenmure, and Najla Krifa.

Chavez (L) with Sector Arbiter IA Najla Krifa and Assistant Diyora. (Photo courtesy Carlos Chavez)

Yes, I had the opportunity to work with all three Sector Arbiters, and I learned something from each of their different styles of officiating.

Registan Square. From left: Chavez, IA Luciano Rietter, Fair Play Officials Margit Brokko and Jürgen Klüners, and IA Alon Shulman. (Photo courtesy Carlos Chavez)

Finally, thank you to the wonderful volunteers, assistants, organizers, players, and people of Uzbekistan who made this experience so memorable.