Why are Israel’s Chess Olympiad matches being rescheduled?
While 400-odd teams got into the day at the Silk Road International Exhibition Centre, Israel’s games were moved to the Savitsky Hotel to accommodate Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
While 400-odd teams got into the day at the Silk Road International Exhibition Centre, Israel’s games were moved to the Savitsky Hotel to accommodate Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Israel’s Chess Olympiad games in both the Open and Women’s section against Singapore nd Colombia respectively in the fifth round on Sunday were rescheduled and relocated.
While 400-odd teams got into the day at the Silk Road International Exhibition Centre, Israel’s games were moved to the Savitsky Hotel to accommodate Yom Kippur, Judaism’s holiest day. The observance marks the day of atonement in the Jewish faith and comes 10 days after Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year).
“Due to the observance of Yom Kippur on September 20, the Israeli Open and Women’s teams need to complete their Round 5 games of the FIDE Chess Olympiad earlier than the standard playing schedule would normally allow,” FIDE was quoted by the Indian Express, explaining the reason behind the rescheduling.
The Israeli chess players needed to finish their games before the 25-hour fast and prayer period began. Their opponents both agreed to start their matches one hour and 15 minutes before the scheduled start according to the standard schedule.
Kevin Goh Wei Ming, CEO of the Singapore Chess Federation, confirmed the change in circumstances in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), calling it “one of the more unusual situations I have encountered in all my years of competitive chess.”
— Kevin Goh Wei Ming (@kevingohwm) September 20, 2026A rather unique situation for our Singapore Open team today.
Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, begins at sundown today. It is traditionally observed with a 25-hour fast, prayer and reflection.
At the request of the Israeli Chess Federation, and in the spirit of…
“Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism, begins at sundown today. It is traditionally observed with a 25-hour fast, prayer and reflection. At the request of the Israeli Chess Federation, and in the spirit of sportsmanship and mutual respect, our team has agreed to start our match against Israel one hour and 15 minutes earlier than scheduled,” he wrote.
“This is certainly one of the more unusual situations I have encountered in all my years of competitive chess, but also a reminder that an Olympiad brings together people from many different countries, cultures, and traditions. Hopefully our players will adjust well to the change in schedule and put up a strong fight against a very strong Israeli team,” he added.
This comes days after the Pakistan boycotted its opening fixture against Israel in solidarity with the people of Palestine.
The decision reportedly stemmed from the Pakistan Government’s official policy towards Israel and in solidarity with the people of Palestine. Israel was handed a 4-0 win by virtue of the walkover.
Published on Sep 20, 2026
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