Archive · 21 Sep 2026
Israel Forfeits Round Six Matches After Yom Kippur Requests Declined
Israel has two teams playing at the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand.
The teams had already moved their fifth-round games because of Yom Kippur.
Singapore and Colombia agreed to play those games earlier.
For the sixth round, Israel asked to play later on Monday or on the tournament’s rest day.
The Netherlands and Bulgaria did not agree to change the schedule.
Israel’s teams therefore did not come to the scheduled matches.
The Netherlands and Bulgaria won by forfeit, meaning they received the points without playing.
FIDE said the opponents were allowed to refuse the request.
The forfeits hurt Israel’s position in the tournament.
Israel’s Open and Women’s teams missed their sixth-round matches at the 2026 Chess Olympiad.
The Netherlands and Bulgaria received full points after Israel failed to appear.
Israel had requested matches after 7:30 p.m. or on the September 22 rest day.
Unlike Singapore and Colombia in Round 5, the opponents declined schedule changes.
The requests were made to accommodate Israel’s observance of Yom Kippur on September 20 and 21.
- Who
- Israel’s Open and Women’s teams, their opponents from the Netherlands and Bulgaria, and FIDE.
- What
- Israel forfeited its sixth-round matches after its requested schedule changes were declined.
- When
- Round 6 was played on Monday, September 21, 2026; Yom Kippur was observed on September 20 and 21.
- Where
- The matches were scheduled at the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, including the Silk Road International Exhibition Centre.
- Why
- Israel requested different playing times to accommodate its observance of Yom Kippur.
Israel’s Scheduling Request
Opponents’ Right to Decline
Changing the Round 6 schedule
Israel’s Scheduling Request
Israel asked FIDE to move the matches to after 7:30 p.m. on Monday or to the scheduled rest day on September 22 because of Yom Kippur.
Opponents’ Right to Decline
The Netherlands and Bulgaria declined to play at a different time from the official schedule.
Comparison with Round 5
Israel’s Scheduling Request
Israel’s teams had sought schedule accommodations so they could complete their games before Yom Kippur observance, as they had done with Singapore and Colombia.
Opponents’ Right to Decline
FIDE said that, unlike in Round 5, both Round 6 opponents were entitled to refuse the proposed changes.
Tournament outcome
Israel’s Scheduling Request
Israel did not appear for the scheduled matches because the requested adjustments were not granted.
Opponents’ Right to Decline
The Netherlands and Bulgaria were awarded full points by forfeit without playing a move.
- Event
- 2026 Chess Olympiad
- Round 5
- Israel’s matches against Singapore and Colombia were moved and played earlier.
- Round 6 opponents
- The Netherlands in the Open section and Bulgaria in the Women’s section
- Israel’s request
- A start at 7:30 p.m. or later on September 21, or matches on September 22
- Result
- The Netherlands and Bulgaria received full points by forfeit.
- Reason
- Observance of Yom Kippur on September 20 and 21
- Israeli rankings
- Both Israeli teams were seeded 22nd; each had won four of five rounds before Round 6.
