Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, President of the World Chess Federation (FIDE), told Russia's official news agency TASS that the city in western Siberia had been chosen ahead of bids from several other countries, including Argentina and Slovakia.

The decision was taken during the FIDE Congress, held alongside the 42nd Chess Olympiad currently taking place in Baku in Azerbaijan,

"Congratulations to Khanty-Mansiysk," Ilyumzhinov told TASS.

"It beat such countries as Argentina and Slovakia in the fight for the right to host the Chess Olympiad,"

Khanty-Mansiysk, located eastern bank of the Irtysh River, has earned vast wealth in recent times due to oil. 

It will be the second time that Khanty-Mansiysk has held the Olympiad, having previously staged it in 2010.

Russia has held the event on three other occasions, at Moscow in 1956 and 1994 and Elista in 1998.

"We were preparing for the FIDE Congress where our bid was presented very seriously," Natalya Komarova, Governor of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area, told TASS.

"We did our utmost to make sure that our bid is accepted. 

"I am confident we will be able to hold the best chess Olympiad."

The first Olympiad was unofficial and took place in Paris 1924 at the same time as the Olympic Games in the French capital.

Chess had hoped to be included on the official programme for those Games. 

FIDE organised the first official Chess Olympiad in 1927 which took place in London.

The Olympiads were occasionally held annually and at irregular intervals until World War Two but since 1950 they have been held regularly every two years.

The 43rd Chess Olympiad in 2018 is due to take place in Batumi in Georgia.