Evolution of the Olympiad

99 years ago, 16 nations sent their top players to London to determine the best chess country in the world, and the Chess Olympiad was born.

The U.S. dominated the early competitions, winning the gold medals in gold in four separate Olympiads in the 1930s thanks to the likes of future GMs Isaac Kashdan, Frank Marshall, Reuben Fine, and, eventually, a young Samuel Reshevsky.

Pictured from left to right: GM Samuel Reshevsky, IM Al Horowitz, Fritz Brieger (Sponsor), GM Frank Marshall, GM Reuben Fine, and GM Isaac Kashdan

The 1937 U.S. team in Stockholm. From left: Samuel Reshevsky, Al Horowitz, Fritz Brieger (Sponsor), Frank Marshall, Reuben Fine, and Isaac Kashdan. (Photographer unknown, courtesy of the collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame, gift of Richard Kashdan)

While the Olympiads began as a mostly European affair, more and more countries wanted in on the action. By the 1960s, more than 50 nations regularly competed for chess supremacy; by the 27th Olympiad, in 1986, more than 100 countries were represented in this increasingly global event.

Bobby Fischer in conversation with Fidel Castro at the 1966 Chess Olympiad in Havana. (Photo by Nicolas Rossolimo, from Chess Life digital archives)

When the U.S. team won the Open event in 2016, it finished ahead of 179 other teams representing 174 nations. In 2024, 195 nations sent teams to Budapest. Today, the Olympiad is a truly worldwide phenomenon, and the winners can truly be said to represent the best chess country in the world.

While the post-World War II era was defined by the dominance of the Soviet Union, today no team is a runaway favorite. Over the past seven open Olympiads, six countries have won gold medals, with only China winning twice. In the women’s event, China and Russia have combined for five of the past seven golds, but neither of the last two.

This year, we are sending a powerhouse group of players to Samarkand, Uzbekistan to compete in the 46th Olympiad and regain our title as the best team in the world, and we need your support.

Every dollar raised helps pay for airfare, hotels, coaching, and meals, and in the 250th anniversary year of our nation sends a signal about the importance of chess in the U.S.

Show our love of the game and our team during this historic year by being a part of Olympiad history and donating here.