Ihor Samunenkov is representing Ukraine at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand
Ukrainian grandmaster Ihor Samunenkov is competing as part of the Ukrainian men’s national team at the 46th World Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. For the young chess player, this is yet another opportunity to represent Ukraine at the highest international level and compete against some of the world’s strongest chess players.
The Chess Olympiad began on September 16 and will run through September 27. This year’s tournament has brought together representatives from over 200 countries, and the Ukrainian team began the competition as the 12th seed. The team consists of Ihor Kovalenko, Vasyl Ivanchuk, Anton Korobov, Ihor Samunenkov, and Roman Degtyarev. Oleksandr Belyavskyi is the team captain.
For Samunenkov, this is not his first time competing for the national team. In 2025, he and the Ukrainian national team won the European Team Championship. At the same time, the chess player himself notes that the Olympiad holds a special status and provides an opportunity to face a much wider range of strong opponents.
“It is a great honor for me to represent the Ukrainian national team. It is especially enjoyable to play alongside the strong and experienced players on our team. The Chess Olympiad differs from other international competitions in terms of its status and the caliber of its participants. I already represented the national team in 2025 at the European Championship, where we managed to win, but the Olympiad is even stronger, since it features representatives from many chess powerhouses that were unable to compete in the European Championship. That’s why this is a very important and promising tournament for me, and I’m happy to represent Ukraine in it,” says Ihor Samunenkov.
Ukraine got off to a strong start in the tournament
The first rounds of the Olympiad went well for the Ukrainian national team. The team secured four wins in its first five matches, losing only to the U.S. team, which had the highest starting rating among the participants.
Samunenkov also posted a strong individual performance. After five rounds, he has 4.5 points out of a possible 5. His only draw came in a game against Hans Niemann of the U.S. team—one of the world’s strongest young chess players.
Igor himself views his start positively, but emphasizes that his personal result matters most when it helps the team.
“Right now, our team is doing well: we’ve won four matches and lost only to the U.S. team, which is ranked first based on its starting rating. As for my performance, I scored 4.5 points out of a possible 5, drawing with the very strong chess player Hans Niemann. So I also view my start positively. But for me, the most important thing is that my play helps the team. That’s what brings me the most satisfaction,” the chess player notes.
Interestingly, the Ukrainian national team did not set a specific goal for itself before the start of the Olympiad. The team adopted an approach that had already proven successful at the 2025 European Championship: to take it one round at a time, focus as much as possible on each game, and avoid putting extra pressure on themselves by aiming for a specific finish.
“We don’t have any specific goal for this Olympiad. At least last year at the European Championship, we also didn’t set a specific goal for ourselves—we just played round by round, and as a result, we managed to win. The situation is similar now: we’re taking each game in stride, everyone is trying their hardest, and we’re supporting one another. Of course, everyone wants to finish as high as possible, but there’s no specific strategy or goal—we’re just playing, enjoying chess, and hoping that everything works out for the best,” says Samunenkov.
Team support is one of the unique features of the Olympiad
Unlike individual chess tournaments, the Olympiad requires players not only to maintain maximum concentration at the chessboard but also to work together as a team.
Each player’s result affects the team’s overall score, so the atmosphere within the team becomes a crucial part of the tournament process. According to Samunenkov, the Ukrainian team has managed to build strong chemistry between experienced chess players and the younger generation.
“In a team tournament like the Olympiad, interaction among players is very important. We need to support one another not only after spectacular victories but also after disappointing losses. Fortunately, we’re doing well in this regard. The team includes both very experienced players and the younger generation, and, in my opinion, there’s a strong bond among everyone. Playing in this kind of atmosphere is much more enjoyable, and I believe it has a positive impact on our team’s performance,” says Igor.
Playing Against the Best as an Opportunity for Growth
Another unique feature of the Olympiad is the opportunity to regularly face chess players of the highest international caliber. For a young grandmaster, such games are not only a test but also an important part of professional development.
In Samarkand, Samunenkov has already had the chance to play against an opponent with a rating over 2700. For a chess player, this is an opportunity to test himself at the highest level and gain experience that cannot be replaced by training.
“I’ve already been lucky enough to play against an opponent with a rating over 2700 in this tournament. For me, games like these are a really cool challenge and a chance to prove myself. I really love playing against such players. It gives me even more motivation to work on my game, improve as a chess player, and help my team. I have a very positive attitude toward this and hope that I’ll have many more opportunities to play against such strong and experienced players,” notes Samunenkov.
The World’s Youngest Grandmaster
Igor Samunenkov is one of the brightest stars of the new generation of Ukrainian chess. In 2023, he fulfilled all the necessary requirements to earn the title of grandmaster, and at the age of 14, he officially became the world’s youngest active grandmaster.
His professional career is progressing at an extraordinary pace. Back in 2020, Samunenkov earned the title of Candidate Master; in 2021, he became a FIDE Master; and by 2022, he had achieved the rank of International Master. The next step was the title of Grandmaster.
At the same time, Samunenkov continues to develop and regularly faces top-level opponents. It is precisely these games, he says, that help him better understand his own play and motivate him to keep moving forward.
Chess and Leo Team
Igor Samunenkov represents Leo Team as part of a strategic partnership launched in 2025. For the organization, chess has become part of a broader sports ecosystem that combines traditional sports and esports.
Chess and Counter-Strike are different in nature, but they share a number of common elements: strategic thinking, situational analysis, concentration, quick decision-making, and the ability to perform under pressure.
The partnership with Samunenkov allows Leo Team to support the Ukrainian athlete on the international stage while simultaneously developing its own chess division.
The toughest opponents lie ahead
The Olympiad in Samarkand is far from over. Ahead of the Ukrainian national team lie new rounds and potential matches against the world’s strongest chess teams.
Among the opponents Samunenkov would like to face before the tournament concludes, he particularly highlights the teams from India, China, and Germany.
“There are still many rounds ahead, and if our team continues to perform well, we’ll face matches against very strong teams—India, China, and Germany. Of course, I’d really like to play against them. I hope we’ll have that opportunity and can give it our all. I’ll also do my absolute best to help the team. It would be really great to go through this tournament together and achieve a good result,” concludes Igor Samunenkov.
For the Ukrainian grandmaster, the Olympiad in Samarkand is not just another major international tournament. It’s an opportunity to represent Ukraine alongside experienced teammates, test himself in games against the world’s strongest chess players, and take another step forward in his professional development.
Leo Team continues to follow Igor Samunenkov’s performance and support the Ukrainian national team as they head toward the end of the Olympiad. There are still many rounds, challenging games, and opportunities ahead for the team to showcase their best chess♟️
