The 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad kicks off in Samarkand with serious firepower. Caruana, So, Praggnanandhaa, and Keymer headline the Open section, competing for national teams in an 11-round Swiss format. Sindarov and Abdusattorov add local flavor to the competition. Each board gets 90 minutes plus 30 seconds per move after move 40. The tournament runs from September 16 across two weeks. Team composition matters here, not just individual ratings. Expect sharp fighting chess at classical time controls, where preparation meets calculation over the board.