Israel Forfeits Two Olympiad Matches After Yom Kippur Reschedule Request Rejected

Israel has forfeited two matches at the 2026 Chess Olympiad after its opponents declined requests to move Monday's games to accommodate Yom Kippur.

Neither Israel's Open team nor its Women's team appeared for Round 6 at the Silk Road International Exhibition Centre in Samarkand.

The Netherlands were consequently awarded a 4-0 victory over Israel in the Open, while Bulgaria received the same result in the Women's event.

Israel Says FIDE Broke Written Commitment

The dispute has now escalated, with the Israel Chess Federation accusing FIDE of failing to honour a written commitment made before the Olympiad.

The federation says FIDE had formally agreed that Israel's games on September 20 would finish by 5pm local time, while its September 21 matches would begin no earlier than 7.30pm—after Yom Kippur had ended.

"Despite an official and written commitment from FIDE to adjust the playing times of both Israeli teams—the Open team and the Women's team—for Yom Kippur, the commitment was not fulfilled," the federation said.

The federation said it regarded the situation "very seriously" and would seek explanations from FIDE and action to address what it described as a sporting injustice.

FIDE's account of the Round 6 arrangements, however, presented the matter differently.

It came just 24 hours after Israel's Round 5 opponents agreed to special arrangements to allow its players to observe Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism.

Israel had asked FIDE for its Round 6 matches either to begin at 7.30pm local time or later on Monday, after the observance had ended, or to be moved to Tuesday, September 22, the Olympiad's scheduled rest day.

FIDE contacted both opposing teams.

The Netherlands and Bulgaria declined the proposed changes.

FIDE stressed that both were entitled to do so under the tournament regulations.

"Unlike in the previous round, neither opponent agreed to play at a different time from the official schedule," a FIDE spokesperson said, according to the Indian Express.

"They are fully entitled to decline such a request."

A Very Different Round 5

The outcome contrasted sharply with what happened on Sunday.

As World Chess reported, Israel needed to finish its Round 5 matches before sundown and requested an earlier start.

Singapore's Open team and Colombia's Women's team agreed.

The matches were brought forward by one hour and 15 minutes and moved away from the main Olympiad venue to the Savitsky Hotel.

FIDE said the games were conducted under the normal tournament regulations and fair-play measures.

This time, however, Israel required the opposite arrangement because Yom Kippur continued into Monday.

With the Netherlands and Bulgaria unwilling to change the scheduled playing time, the Israeli teams did not appear.

The Netherlands and Bulgaria therefore received four game points and two match points without a move being played.

Israel At Centre Of Another Olympiad Forfeit

It is the latest unusual episode involving Israel during an already eventful Olympiad.

In Round 1, Pakistan refused to play its scheduled Open match against Israel, saying it would not compete against an Israeli team.

Israel was awarded a 4-0 walkover on that occasion.

The circumstances this time are very different: the Netherlands and Bulgaria were prepared to play their scheduled matches, but did not agree to Israel's request to change when they were played.

Israel's Open team had entered Round 6 with eight match points from five rounds and was seeded 22nd in the competition.

Israel Chess Federation president Zvika Barkai has since said the federation is "extremely angry" over the outcome and reiterated that it has written documentation of the earlier arrangements.

The forfeits come immediately before Tuesday's rest day, with five rounds remaining when play resumes in Samarkand.