Israel's matches at the 2026 Chess Olympiad have been further disrupted, this time at their team's request.
The games against Singapore in the Open and Colombia in the Women's event were switched from the main venue, the Silk Road International Exhibition Centre, to the nearby Savitsky Hotel in Samarkand.
The fixtures were also scheduled to begin one hour and 15 minutes earlier than the rest of Round 5, allowing the Israeli players to finish before the start of Yom Kippur at sundown.
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in Judaism and is traditionally marked by a 25-hour period of fasting and prayer.
According to the Indian Express, Israel requested the change, with both Singapore and Colombia agreeing to the earlier start. The move to the hotel was necessary because of logistical constraints at the main Olympiad venue.
FIDE said the matches would still be played under the normal tournament regulations and fair-play procedures.
Singapore Chess Federation CEO Kevin Goh Wei Ming said his team had been happy to accommodate the request.
The unusual arrangements come after Israel was at the centre of one of the biggest stories of the opening round in Samarkand.
Pakistan refused to play its scheduled Open match against Israel, resulting in Israel receiving a 4-0 walkover.
Israel went on to beat Albania and El Salvador before losing 2.5-1.5 to Hungary in Round 4. The Open team entered Round 5 on six match points, with Singapore also on six. Official pairings confirm Singapore against Israel in Round 5, while Israel's Women's team were paired with Colombia.
The arrangement is another example of the unusual logistical challenges facing an Olympiad involving hundreds of players and more than 200 national federations.
The 46th Chess Olympiad runs in Samarkand until September 27.