Published: Oct 2, 2024 by Boammani Aser Lompo
This year, I had the immense privilege of representing Burkina Faso in the 45th International Chess Olympiad.
The Chess Olympiad is the biggest event in the chess world. Every two years, all 198 member nations of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) gather for a team vs. team competition to crown the strongest chess nation.
🔥Why this edition was special
This Olympiad carried a unique weight for two reasons:
🎂The 100th anniversary of FIDE
To mark the centenary, a symbolic Olympic torch traveled across continents—from Eastern Europe to Western America, passing through Africa and Asia. Its journey culminated in Budapest, carried by the legendary Judit Polgár (widely regarded as the greatest female player of all time), who lit the flame at a grand opening ceremony in her hometown.
⚔️ A generational clash at the very top
Fans were thrilled to witness titans like Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Levon Aronian, and Ding Liren face off against the game’s brightest young stars—Dommaraju Gukesh, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and others. Since the pandemic in 2020, chess has never been so widely followed, with thousands of fans tracking the event live each day.
🏆 Grand finale
Among all the storylines and surprises, one stood out: the historic victory of Team India. Led by 18-year-old Gukesh D., the Indians clinched gold. Gukesh himself delivered a staggering 3000 Elo performance, the second-highest in Olympiad history, firmly establishing him as the challenger for the World Championship match later this year.
Photos: Michal Walusza, Mark Livshitz, Maria Emelianova and Stev Bonhage
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