Armenia is participating in the first-ever Online Chess Olympiad organized by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), with teams from 163 countries set to battle over a virtual chess board between July 25 and August 30, FIDE announced on Thursday, July 23.

Each team will consist of six players, in a mixed format with a minimum of three female players and two junior players.

The event is FIDE’s response to the postponement of the “traditional” Chess Olympiad, which was planned to take place between Moscow and Khanty-Mansiysk (Russia) in August, 2020. Involving more than 3,000 participants, the event was rescheduled to 2021, shortly after the IOC had also announced the postponement of the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The initial ranking is topped by Russia, followed by China, the United States , Armenia and Ukraine.

Armenia earned its first medal at the 1992 Chess Olympiad, finishing third. The country then won bronze at the 2002 and 2004 events as well. The Armenian team made a breakthrough with the sensational victory at the 2006 Chess Olympiad. They also won the 2008 and 2012 Chess Olympiads.