2014 Chess Olympiad (Tromsø)

Naka may have wanted a rest day because of his travel issues. We'll see how he does the rest of his games.

Yeah it's always good to take rest days when you're paired with good opponents.  Maybe he can do this against Russia and France too.

Wow, the U.S. lost. I'm surprised Akobian & Kamsky didn't hold on to draw those games.

Edit: its over for the U.S. team. If they're playing at this level there's no possibility of them finishing in the top 5, much less the top 3. Heck, they'll be doing good to finish in the top 10.

Excellent idea. By the way, where is your denunciation of Kamsky's performance today against l'Ami?

Kamsky got a bad position out of the opening, but fought hard with the Black pieces for 60 moves.  He didn't agree to a quick draw with the White pieces because he was up late playing blitz on ICC.

Akobian's position looked easier than Kamsky's.  I think he may have just blundered, but didn't look at his game.

Shame on Nakamura taking a 16 move grandmaster draw With the white pieces versus Giri, in his very first game of the event. This ultimately cost the US the match.

Hungary lost against China in spite of the latter not having their strongest team in the Olympiad.

China is getting better. They're movin on up like George & Weezy.

In 10-15 years they are going to be the dominant chess force.  Communists love pouring resouces into chess for some reason.

The cruel and harsh reality of playing in a team chess event is that you are only as good as your teammates, as Leko might tweet. I don't think he will though.

What can I say about Hungary's loss?

I just repeat my post submitted before the match:

I don't have very good feelings about Hungary's match against China. This thing yesterday against Venezuela with Rapport losing and Judit winning a game with black which was valued +4 for white at some point, just for the 2300 Venezuelan FM to blunder it away in time trouble: this is not the way one is supposed to play against an opponent rated 300 points lower on average ( only Almasi had a clean win, Leko was OK to draw because Iturrizaga is a world class player to be reconed with ).

On the other hand China is rising, the 2700+ list is getting packed with chinese recently, there are almost as many chinese there as russians.

China will be producing top level GM's like the Soviet Union used to. Gazillions of them.

I read the published FIDE rules on Olympiad play, and draws under 30 moves require explicit permission from the Arbiter. So shame on him, too.

@blueemu

It was draw by repetition, no rules against that afaik.

95%, not necessarily very good, but good enough to understand eachother. I think I am ok myself, I can make a dialog, but have big problems listening when three englishmen talks to eachother. 

It is a perfect land to go on holiday for Englishspeaking people, but it does fall rain here, the winter can be very cold, and food and bear is very expencive.

I heard alcohol was high there. I think it was Nigel Short who brought the topic up during a tournament braodcast. He would know! Hahaha.

Djonni, are your parents or grandparents from NOR too?

The communistage is over in east, but I know why Russians are so hot on chess. Maybe the same goes for China.  Russia wants Europe to love them, and makes a lot of effort to make a good impression. And in chess it works. Lots of chess.com enthusiasts are very impressed of the whole Russian team. They are superstars, all of them.

I have learnt very much about Russia and their way of thinking from my lady. She is the best Russian author I know.

Russia play China in the next round.