The 34th Chess Olympiad brought 126 open and 86 women's national teams to Istanbul, making it one of the largest team chess competitions held to that point.
Key Facts
- Open teams
- 126 teams
- Women's teams
- 86 teams
- Rounds
- 14 rounds
- Dates
- October 28 – November 12, 2000
- Chief Arbiter
- Geurt Gijssen (Netherlands)
- Pairing system
- Swiss system
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
FIDE's biennial Chess Olympiad rotates among member nations; Turkey was selected to host the 34th edition in Istanbul, continuing the tradition of gathering national teams for open and women's competitions under standardized Swiss-system rules.
Held from October 28 to November 12, 2000, the 34th Chess Olympiad in Istanbul featured 126 teams in the open section and 86 in the women's section competing over 14 rounds, with open matches played on four boards and women's on three, under arbiter Geurt Gijssen.
Top finishers across seeding groups received special prizes in addition to overall medals, and the results contributed to national FIDE rankings. The event reinforced Istanbul's capacity to host major international sporting competitions and sustained momentum in global chess organization.