NEW DELHI: India’s chess contingent has finally secured hotel accommodation in Samarkand after an unexpected crisis delayed room allotments on the eve of the 46th Chess Olympiad.The Indian team arrived in Uzbekistan on Tuesday, but several players were left waiting at their hotel for hours after learning that their reservations had not been properly communicated to the property by the local organising committee (LOC).The team was scheduled to stay at the Silk Road by Minyoun hotel. Men’s team captain Srinath Narayanan took to social media to express his frustration, saying the contingent had landed nearly five hours earlier but still had no clarity on when rooms would be allotted.The All India Chess Federation (AICF) president Nitin Narang intervened in the situation and asked FIDE to arrange accommodation for the players.Throughout the day, Narang remained in discussions with FIDE and the organising committee to resolve the issue.“We took up the matter very strongly with both the LOC and FIDE. In very simple terms, it was communicated that this was not acceptable and that this situation should never have happened in the first place.” Narang told TimesofIndia.com. “But I am relieved that the players have now been accommodated and are finally in their rooms.”The Indian contingent had 16 rooms reserved for them, 14 of which have so far been confirmed. AICF has arranged for separate rooms for all the players, meaning that each player has got their own room, while the coaches are given shared rooms.Narang was coordinating with FIDE and the LOC, while Head of Delegation Grandmaster Abhijit Kunte was sent to assist the team on the ground.The accommodation trouble prompted strong reactions from the players.Vidit Gujrathi also described the experience as a “very poor first impression” of the Samarkand Olympiad.India enter the Olympiad as defending champions in both the Open and Women’s sections, having won historic double gold at the 2024 Budapest Olympiad.The Open team features world champion D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi. The women’s team comprises R Vaishali, Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal and Savitha Shri B.The 46th Chess Olympiad began on Tuesday, with the first round scheduled for Wednesday at the Silk Road International Exhibition Centre. The tournament runs until September 27.
