45th Chess Olympiad: Smooth sailing for favorites in Round 1

Wednesday, 11 Sep 2024 21:46

The Chess Olympiad commenced today in Budapest with 89 matches in the Open section and 81 in the Women’s section. The favorites faced off against weaker opponents and proved their superiority.

In the Open section, the USA, India, China, Uzbekistan, Netherlands, and Norway all won their matches. Among them, India, China, and Netherlands whitewashed their opponents (4-0). In total, 56 teams managed to win their matches with a perfect score on the first day.

The defending champions, Uzbekistan, had a more challenging start. Two dubious positions against Trinidad & Tobago were not what they hoped for. Shamsiddin Vokhidov (2650) eventually managed to outsmart his opponent Kevin Cupid (2201) on board three, while Nodirbek Yakubboev (2666) narrowly escaped with a draw from a lost position against Quinn Cabralis (2169) on board two.

Team USA’s match against Panama began with a victory by Leinier Dominguez, marking his first classical win since March. However, they couldn’t achieve a sweeping victory as World #10 Wesley So (USA) drew with Panama’s top player, Roberto Sanchez Alvarez (2376). Levon Aronian’s fans were also on edge when he found himself in trouble against Andre Mendez Machado, but Aronian managed to turn the tables and win.

The biggest individual upset was likely World #17 Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (2733), escaping with a draw against 17-year-old Anas Khwaira (1994) from Jordan. Such results highlight the beauty and appeal of the Olympiad, as for players from less developed chess nations, it is an opportunity to take on (and take points from!) the best players in the world.

In the Women’s section, the favourites were also in full command. As many as 72 teams managed to take home all four points. Jamaica lost to India but can still celebrate as their Raehanna Brown (1910), who just became a WFM in 2024, managed to sneak a draw from IM Vantika Agrawal (2370). The main favourites, Georgia, Poland, and China, all won their matches 4-0. The defending champions, Ukraine, conceded half a point to Kyrgyzstan as Alexandra Samaganova drew with Anna Ushenina on the first board.

Round 1 was attended by Mr. Gábor Schmidt, Deputy State Secretary for Sports Administration and Development, FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, and Dr. Zoltán Polyánszky, Hungarian Chess Federation President. The latter two made the ceremonial first moves. Mr. Arkady Dvorkovich made the first move on the first board of the women’s top match between Jamaica and India, while Dr. Polyánszky did so in the Open section’s top match between Panama and the USA.

Later, they moved to the media center for a press conference moderated by FIDE Press Officer Anna Burtasova. The speakers answered questions about organizing a Chess Olympiad and promoting chess in general. More details can be found on the official tournament website.

After the press conference, the speakers and media moved to the Expo Hall for the official opening of the historical exhibition celebrating 100 years of FIDE. As usual, the Chess Olympiad is a grand festival of chess, featuring numerous side tournaments and activities alongside the main event. The Expo hall buzzed with excitement from spectators and players who had finished their games. Many visitors brought their children, who enjoyed Judit Polgar’s “Chess Palace,” a space designed for younger audiences.

The first side tournament, a rapid event, took place in a dedicated hall. Various tournaments will run almost every day, allowing local and visiting players to compete in rapid, blitz, and numerous chess variants. The complete list of side activities can be found here.

Position of the day:

GM Yu, Yangyi (China) - IM Araujo Sanchez, Josue (Dominican Republic)

White to move

22. Rxd5! 1-0