I started a topic about this David about two weeks ago and hopefully it'll get more attention as the Olympiad goes on. Here is the link for that topic:
http://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-buzz/the-unofficial-official-thread-for-the-2010-world-chess-olympiad
Here is my final Top 3:
Russia(first team with Kramnik)
Norway(my longshot pick as they are rated 26th overall)
China
I am rooting for Russia in this but I hope Carlsen and Hammer do good as well
ah, i'll check out your thread. i also picked Russia-- the only thing that could stop them imo would be if Karjakin is a Ukrainian saboteur-- which would be hilarious!! although i think the russian team captain would probably sit him for the Ukraine match?
Danny and I are both rooting for Mag-town and The Hammer, but i think with Agdestein and Johanessen as no-shows, the Norwegian team won't be able to finish much above their seeding.
I also like China. I'll be rooting for them, and I think they are reasonably likely to finish in the medals.
omg hes got david sayin mag-town now 
lol
David, about Karjakian, I was wondering that myself, moreso when you and Danny mentioned him during the episode yesterday. Talk about sabotage if that WAS true. You never know about it being a setup.
China definitely has a shot as well to finish Top 3 since they have a very strong team this year but I don't think they'll go higher than Bronze.
-Mark
Is there ever a reason to pick against Russia? I suppose if Kasparov and Aronian played for Azerbajan
hahaha, Aronian on Azerbaijan :-)
Russia doesn't always win, but somehow they seem very strong to me this year, and I don't feel the Armenian magic in the air.
How about Ukraine? They got a bunch of strong GMs! Eljanov, Ivanchuk, Ponomariov, Efimenko, Areschenko, Fedorchuk, Miroshnichenko, Korobov... and the list can still be made longer...
Also I think Azerbaijan might me dangerous with Mamedyarov, Radjabov and Gashimov on the 3 first boards!
Also I think Azerbaijan might me dangerous with Mamedyarov, Radjabov and Gashimov on the 3 first boards!
Gashimov isn't playing. They got mad at him for playing on the Kasparov-Marcote team in the Spanish League.
I'm rooting for China but I think Armenia will win.
Yeah, don't use Mag-town until he's World Champion, and then it's OK
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Is there ever a reason to pick against Russia? I suppose if Kasparov and Aronian played for Azerbajan
Whatever the reason, Russia has a bit of history on underperforming in team competitions in recent years. For example in two last olympiads they finished outside the medals.
Still, I think the past failures might be one of the reasons to support Russia this time as they will no doubt be extra hungry to regain their rightfull place. Another reason is that the olympiads will be played in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. So I expect Russia 1 with Kramnik, Grischuk, Karjakin etc. win. I also expect Russia to take womens gold.
By the way how come Russia has 3 teams in mens competition and 2 in womens?! I had always assumed it's one team/country.
Is there ever a reason to pick against Russia? I suppose if Kasparov and Aronian played for Azerbajan
Whatever the reason, Russia has a bit of history on underperforming in team competitions in recent years. For example in two last olympiads they finished outside the medals.
Still, I think the past failures might be one of the reasons to support Russia this time as they will no doubt be extra hungry to regain their rightfull place. Another reason is that the olympiads will be played in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. So I expect Russia 1 with Kramnik, Grischuk, Karjakin etc. win. I also expect Russia to take womens gold.
By the way how come Russia has 3 teams in mens competition and 2 in womens?! I had always assumed it's one team/country.
If you count the teams from Israel and the USA there are 5 teams from Russia in the Olympiad ! 
This is mens teams, womens teams brings the total to 7 teams !
As for the favorite team winning it , how often has that happened ? I think Armenia does better than their starting rank because they actually play as a team and not 4 individuals thrown together for a team competition...... there IS a difference. Armenia won it in 08 and what was their initial rank at the start ?
It was one team per country when there was a group stage and finals played round robin. With the introduction of swiss system organizing federation got the right to enter second team if the number of participants was odd. Now that the blind and the crippled have their teams in the olimpics (they are not representing any country) organizer was given 2+1 entries, as a sort of bait for reluctant organizers.
My predictions:
1. Russia - they are eager to return the title and don't want to dissapoint home crowd.
2.-3. Equal fight between USA, Armenia, Israel, Ukraine and China.
Possible surprise - England with Adams, Short, McShaine and Howell.
Norway? - I don't think so. Sorry, folks, but Magnus can't play on all four boards at the same time.
the host nation always gets to have extra teams in the olympiad. usually at least one team is a "youth" team, but this year, the russians look like they are instead hoping for all three medals ;-)
"Norway? - I don't think so. Sorry, folks, but Magnus can't play on all four boards at the same time."
Dude!! don't diss The Hammer, when he's even gracing us with his presence in this thread!!
the russians look like they are instead hoping for all three medals ;-)
On their third team they have two 2500s on that last two boards, when they could've picked from several 2670+ players. Maybe they are local players or something?
Topic 1 from this week's Pardon our Blunders (on chess.com/tv if you live under a rock):
Which team do you think will take home the gold medals at this year's Olympiad? What long-shot do you think will have a good performance? Who are you rooting for?