Host nations and medals in Chess Olympiads

With the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary approaching, the host nation hopes for not only organizing a good competition, but also winning a medal. In the open section Hungary is ranked 9th, while in the women section the team is seeded 14th. More about team Hungary

But how many teams have historically won medals while being hosts of the Olympiad?

In the open section of the Olympiad, out of 44 editions there are 5 gold medals, 0 silver medals, and 6 bronze medals.

1st Chess Olympiad, London, England 1926 – bronze medal for England

3rd Chess Olympiad, Hamburg, Germany 1930 – bronze medal for Germany

4th Chess Olympiad, Prague, Czechoslovakia 1931 – bronze medal Czechoslovakia

6th Chess Olympiad, Warsaw, Poland 1935 – bronze medal Poland

9th Chess Olympiad, Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia 1950 – gold medal Yugoslavia

12th Chess Olympiad, Moscow, Soviet Union, 1956 – gold medal Soviet Union

20th Chess Olympiad, Skopje, Yugoslavia, 1972 – bronze medal Yugoslavia

30th Chess Olympiad, Moscow, Russia, 1994 – gold medal Russia

32nd Chess Olympiad, Elista, Russia, 1998 – gold medal Russia

39th Chess Olympiad, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, 2010 – gold medal Russia

44th Chess Olympiad, Chennai, India, 2022 – bronze medal India

In the Women’s section the story is not different, except that silver medal for a host nation appears. In all editions there are two gold medals, two silver medals, and two bronze medals for host nations.

2nd Women’s Chess Olympiad, Split, Yugoslavia, 1963 – silver medal Yugoslavia

22nd Chess Olympiad, Haifa, Israel, 1976 – gold medal Israel

33rd Chess Olympiad, Elista, Russia, 1998 – silver medal Russia

39th Chess Olympiad, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, 2010 – gold medal Russia

43rd Chess Olympiad, Batumi, Georgia, 2018 – bronze medal Georgia

44th Chess Olympiad, Chennai, India, 2022 – bronze medal India