The biggest team event in chess is the biennial Olympiad, which was first held in 1924. At the last one, in Dresden, Germany, in 2008, teams from 146 nations competed. A similar tournament, the World Team Chess Championship, which has been held every four years since 1985, is much smaller. Though it is not considered as prestigious as the Olympiad, perhaps it should be. Only 10 teams compete, but they usually include the top three squads from the most recent Olympiad; the chess champions from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas; two teams that are invited to participate; and one from the host country. The most recent championship ended in Bursa, Turkey, last ...

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