Uzbekistan faced Ukraine in the decisive 11th round of the Chess Olympiad

The FIDE Chess Olympiad has reached its most exciting and culminating point — today at 11:00, the matches of the final 11th round, which will determine the holder of the world crown, officially started. Having crushed the multi-time Olympiad champion Armenia national team with a score of 3.5:0.5 in the 10th round, the main Uzbekistan men's national team took to the central board as the sole leader with 18 points. The final hurdle for our compatriots on the road to the championship was the Ukraine national team, one of the most dangerous teams in the tournament.

The Ukrainians defeated the powerful China team 3:1 in the 10th round, bringing their points to 16, and are entering the field with great force to join the race for the championship and medals. Our representatives are followed closely by the main pursuer — the India national team with 17 points. Any victory over Ukraine will undoubtedly turn Uzbekistan directly into the Olympiad champion, and even a balanced draw can guarantee the championship title to our team based on tiebreak coefficients.

"18 points, the Ukraine hurdle, and the mathematics of the championship": 5 key points of the decisive round

The most important facts from the final stage of the Olympiad and the championship race:

• Uzbekistan is the absolute leader: After 10 rounds, our national team leads the standings alone with 18 points;

• Final opponent — strong Ukraine: Having defeated China 3:1 in the 10th round, Ukraine joined the gold medal battle with 16 points;

• India in pursuit: Following in second place with 17 points, Uzbekistan's every mistake is being awaited by India;

• Victory means absolute championship: A win in the final round will make our representatives champions regardless of the results of other matches;

• Even a draw may suffice for gold: Due to the superiority of additional individual and team coefficients, a draw will also allow retaining 1st place.

FIDE Chess Olympiad: Statistics of championship contenders before the final round

Comparison of the leading top three teams fighting for gold medals:

Chess expertise: Why is the match against Ukraine difficult and of historical significance?

Conclusions of international grandmasters, analysts, and chess commentators:

• "Ukraine's victory over China is a warning": The Ukrainian chess players' easy 3:1 victory over such a tough opponent as China showed that they are currently at their absolute psychological peak; therefore, a very alert and deeply defensive game rather than a conservative one is required in this match;

• Clash of the top boards: The incredible form of Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov throughout the tournament serves as the main pillar of the team; while the Ukrainians rely on experience, our guys can dominate with high speed, computer-precise calculations, and dynamic struggle;

• Strategic draw or aggressive attack: Although a draw is beneficial for Uzbekistan, it is very important not to cede the initiative to the opponent in champion style; Nodirbek's reliable play on board 1 will drastically ease the pressure on the remaining boards.

Do you think the Uzbekistan national team will be able to lift the gold cup over their heads with a victory in this final round against Ukraine? Which of our chess players' game do you think will become the decisive point of the match? Leave your personal predictions and wishes in the comments and share this analysis with all chess enthusiasts to support our national team's historical match!