The fourth round of the Chess World Championship concluded in Samarkand, Tashkent, Uzbekistan. After the first four matches in the open and women's tournaments, several teams maintain the maximum number of points and are among the leaders of the competition.
In the open section, China, Uzbekistan, Germany, Armenia, the United States, India, the Netherlands, and Hungary each secured four consecutive victories, earning four points per match. As for the women's tournament, India, Kazakhstan, China, and the United States remain undefeated, having won all four matches played.
Before the start of the fourth round, participants observed a minute of silence in memory of Georgios Makropoulos, who held leadership positions in FIDE for a long time and made a significant contribution to the development of the chess movement. Specifically, during his tenure leading the Greek Chess Federation in Thessaloniki, the 1984 and 1988 Olympics were held.
With the arrival of the Marshall Islands team, the total number of participants in the open tournament reached a record 206 teams, and one hundred eighty-nine teams participated in the women's section. The Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, Abdulla Aripov, visited the competition on the same day.
The Uzbekistan team faced Turkey in the fourth round and won with a score of 2.5:1.5. Three games ended in a draw, and Nodirbek Yakubboev brought a winning point to the hosts on the third board.
India defeated Spain with a score of 3:1; Ramesh Babu Praghnanandha drew. Another match ended in a draw, and Arjun Erigaisi and Gukesh D. secured winning points for India.
The United States confidently beat Ukraine with a score of 3.5:0.5. Wesley So won his third game in a row. Victories by Levon Aronian and Fabiano Caruana allowed the American team to achieve great success.
China defeated Serbia with a score of 3:1. Wei Yi recorded his third consecutive victory in the tournament, beating Alexander Indzhich. The Netherlands also maintained an ideal record after defeating Greece; Anish Giri won his fourth game in a row.
Germany, Armenia, and Hungary also finished the fourth round with victories. Along with the Netherlands, they continue to play without losing any points.
Results of five main matches in the open tournament:
Uzbekistan — Turkey: 2.5:1.5
USA — Ukraine: 3.5:0.5
Spain — India: 1:3
Serbia — China: 1:3
Germany — Poland: 2.5:1.5
The Uzbekistan women's team defeated Argentina with a score of 3:1 in the fourth round. Umida Omonova brought another point to the team and won her fourth victory in the tournament.
India completed its match against Mongolia with a score of 3:1. Two games ended in a draw, while Divya Deshmukh and Savita Shri won their matches. For Savita Shri, this victory was her fourth in a row.
Kazakhstan also continued its winning streak. In the match against Armenia, the Kazakh team achieved a result of 3:1. Bibisara Asaubayeva won her first victory in the current Olympiad.
The United States defeated Spain with a score of 3.5:0.5. The only half-point for the Spanish team came from Ann Matnadze. Karissa Yip and Tatev Abrahamyan each scored 3 out of 3 possible points, and Alice Li won all four games.
China defeated Hungary with a score of 3.5:0.5. Additionally, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Germany, Poland, and Serbia finished their matches with victories and joined the ranks of teams that won all four games.
Results of five main matches in the women's tournament:
Uzbekistan — Argentina: 3:1
Mongolia — India: 1:3
Armenia — Kazakhstan: 1:3
China — Hungary: 3.5:0.5
Spain — USA: 0.5:3.5
The Iranian women's basketball team in the 3x3 discipline secured two victories at the 2026 Asian Games on Monday.
The 'Melli' team first defeated Uzbekistan with a score of 19:5 at the Kinjo Futo Station Square Venue, and in the second match, they won against the host nation, Japan, with a score of 18:16.
Mahla Abedi was the top scorer for the Persians, scoring eight points, while Japanese athlete Yuki Hirashita recorded five points.
As part of the women's 3x3 basketball tournament at the 2026 Asian Games, held in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, from September 10 to 20, Iran will face Taipei from China in Group B on Tuesday. The tournament is limited to players under the age of 23.
The Lions team has officially announced the departure of promising scrum-half Hashim Pead ahead of the new United Rugby Championship (URC) season. He will move from the Johannesburg franchise to the Stormers in Cape Town.
Pead, 21, began his professional career with the Lions in 2024 and quickly made significant progress. He has decided to continue his journey in the Western Cape, where he previously studied at Bishops and played school rugby.
Pead has established himself as one of the outstanding young talents at Ellis Park. He debuted in the starting lineup of the national Currie Cup against the Bulls, and later made his international debut in the Challenge Cup against the Newcastle Red Bulls.
In 2025, his achievements were recognized with the Lions 'Young Player of the Year' award, acknowledging his impressive play and development within the franchise. During that period, he was also part of the victorious Junior Springboks, who won the World Rugby U20 World Cup last year.
Pead's form attracted national attention, leading to an invitation to the Springbok national team training camp under the guidance of Rassie Erasmus for the 2025/26 season. Furthermore, he participated in the South Africa A match against Zimbabwe earlier this year.
The transfer to the Stormers marks another important stage in the career of the talented number 9. He will now return to Cape Town to continue developing with the team that became the first URC winner. This transfer nearly fell through last week because the Lions demanded a large severance fee, even though Pead had two years left on his contract.
Lions Rugby Company CEO Rudolf Strähli thanked Pead for his contribution to the franchise and wished him success in the next chapter of his career. He noted: 'Hashim has been a dedicated and exceptional talent since the start of his professional career with us in 2024. Although we are sad to see him leave Johannesburg, we respect his decision to take on a new challenge at the Stormers.'
He added: 'We thank him for his service to the Lions and wish him success in the next chapter of his career.'
Pead's departure leaves the Lions without one of their promising young scrum-halves. However, the franchise can choose from players such as Springbok Morné van den Berg, Nico Steyn, Asad Moos, and Layton Horn. Pead's arrival, nevertheless, will add depth to the Stormers' scrum-half reserves, where he will develop alongside players like Bok star Cobus Reinach, Stefan Ungerer, Imad Khan, and Ezekiel Ngobeni.
Significant changes have occurred in the Australian national team ahead of the three-match ODI series between Australia and South Africa, which kicks off on September 24th. The team suffered a major blow as fast bowler Billy Stanlake was excluded from the series due to injury.
All-rounder Jack Edwards has been included to replace Stanlake and will get the opportunity to make his ODI debut. Previously, Jack Edwards had only played one T20I match against Pakistan this year. At the time of the call-up announcement, he was in India with the Australia-A team, preparing for a four-day match against India-A in Puducherry. He was suddenly called up for the series against South Africa and will travel directly from India to Durban.
Billy Stanlake sustained a side strain during the second ODI against Zimbabwe, leaving the field in the fifth over. Following this, he was dropped from the series; he will undergo examination after returning to Australia. His absence has forced a change in the fast bowling tactics of the Australian team. Nevertheless, the team has backup options such as Pat Cummins, Michelle Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, and Javier Bartolet.
Furthermore, left-arm fast bowler Spencer Johnson has also been released from the Australian squad for the series against South Africa. Notably, Johnson is not injured. He participated in two matches of the three-match series against Zimbabwe and returned to the ODI squad approximately eighteen months later. On Sunday, Spencer Johnson helped Australia secure a tight victory over Zimbabwe by taking two wickets. Moreover, he partnered with Nathan Ellis for a 27-run partnership for the last wicket, securing the win.
Despite his contribution, the team management deemed him unnecessary for the series against South Africa. Next month, Johnson will play in a 50-over match for the Australia-A team in Puducherry. Pat Cummins and Michelle Starc will feature in the Australian fast bowling attack in Durban. Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Ellis, and Javier Bartolet will also be included in the squad. The first ODI between South Africa and Australia will take place on September 24th in Durban, the second on September 27th in Johannesburg, and the third on September 30th in Port Elizabeth.
