The grand opening of the 45th Chess Olympiad took place at the Dr. Jeno Koltai Sports Center in Budapest, bringing together thousands of people: players from 194 countries (an absolute record), team captains, FIDE Congress delegates, officials, tournament guests, and media.

The mood was set by performances from Lilla Vincze, an acclaimed Hungarian singer, and Jason Kouchak, an internationally renowned pianist and composer, complemented by aerial views of beautiful Budapest on the screen behind them.

Together, Lilla and Jason, an amateur chess player, composed a song titled “Royal Game,” which premiered this evening.

The hosts of the ceremony welcomed everyone to the Hungarian capital and noted that this year marks a truly special moment in the history of chess as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the International Chess Federation. Over the past century, FIDE has worked tirelessly to promote the universal values of chess, bringing together minds from all corners of the globe in the spirit of friendship, respect, and competition.

The host invited Dr. Gábor Schmidt, Deputy State Secretary for Sport of the State Secretariat for Sports - Ministry of Defence, to the stage. He welcomed everyone to Budapest and thanked the National Event Management Agency and the Hungarian Chess Federation for their dedicated work organizing this event.

“Chess is extraordinary because it teaches strategic thinking that not only helps in competitions, but also in facing everyday life’s challenges. I sincerely hope that thanks to the Chess Olympiad, more people—young and old—will sit together at the chessboard, learn, and use this common language more than ever,” said Dr. Gábor Schmidt.

After the Hungarian national anthem was played, the host invited the next speaker, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich. The FIDE President extended his gratitude to the hosts and officials who have worked tirelessly to make this event possible and to the players whose dedication brings the beauty of chess to life. He concluded with the words: “May this Olympiad stand as a testament to the enduring spirit of chess, and may Budapest 2024 be remembered for many generations to come! Good luck to each and every one of you. I now declare the 45th Chess Olympiad officially open!”

The highlight of the ceremony was the torch relay, making its final stop in Budapest and lighting the Olympiad cauldron. The video showed the long route it took around the world.

The torch relay started in India, the host of the previous Olympiad, and visited 11 more countries along its way: Canada, Colombia, France, Georgia, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Morocco, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, and UAE. The final seconds of the video showed the brilliant Judit Polgar, the strongest female chess player of all time, marching through the streets of Budapest in stunning red, holding the torch high and proud. The video ended with Judit appearing in the opening ceremony hall to the awe of the audience, bringing the torch to the stage. She lit the cauldron, marking the end of the torch’s long journey and the start of the Olympiad.

A moment later, Judit’s two legendary sisters, Susan and Sofia Polgar, entered the stage to draw lots for the color of pieces for the top teams. Chief Arbiter Ivan Syrovy pointed them to the gigantic Rubik’s cubes, a famous invention of Hungarian sculptor Ernő Rubik. Inside each were two smaller cubes, and they had to choose one. Both Susan, for the Open section, and Sofia, for the Women’s section, ended up getting the ones with the black color inside. Thus, the top teams in both tournaments will start their first-round games with the black pieces. By the way, every participant of the Olympiad received a colorful Rubik’s cube as a souvenir from the organizers, along with their accreditation badge.

The President of the Hungarian Chess Federation, Dr. Zoltan Polyanszky, spoke next. He thanked FIDE and the Hungarian Government for their support and addressed the age-old question: What is chess? Is it art, sport, or science? He said, “I went to the venue of the Olympiad and saw all those chess tables set there. I imagined that approximately 1,500 people would sit there in silence and full concentration, ready to give their all, and this was when I was convinced that chess is, in fact, a religion!”

At the pinnacle of the ceremony, Rose May and Raul performed the official song of the 45th Chess Olympiad, “Trojan War.” You can watch the video of this blockbuster chess song on YouTube.

The ceremony concluded with a beautiful video tribute to all the countries participating in this year’s edition, as their names and flags were shown one after another, accompanied by more songs by Lilla and Jason. As the music faded and the list of nations ended, it was time to return to the hotels and prepare for the games that start tomorrow, September 11, at 3 PM local time.

Written by WGM Anna Burtasova

Photos: Michal Walusza

Official website: chessolympiad2024.fide.com