World Teams 2013 26 Nov to 5 Dec

[Mick Norris]

Rest day 1 December - APA format with some weaker teams

http://wctc2013.tsf.org.tr

Armenia at full strength, but Azerbaijan (Kirsan's nominee) are not - interesting Russian team (no Svidler), China and USA look strong, as do Ukraine but no Pono

[Chris Rice]

What? You're not going to be following the European Small Nations Team Chess Championship that's just popped up on the ECU site today?

Instead of the teams above you could be looking at the likes of Andorra, Cyprus, Faroe Islands, Guernsey, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malta, Monaco and San Marino. I have to say there is some reasonably serious wedge for this tournament, held in Monte Carlo with a 25,000€ prize fund. The tournament is a Round Robin over 9 rounds. The teams will be composed of 4 players + 1 reserve player. 24th November - 1 December games start tomorrow at 3pm daily (assume that's local time)

The games will be broadcast Live at http://www.europe-echecs.com/

[Paul McKeown]

What are the qualifications for participation in the European Small Nations Team CC?

By population Iceland is less than Malta and Luxembourg. It would make for a killer entrant - and probably spoil the fun. Montenegro has a population barely greater than Luxembourg's.

The Vatican City is a sovereign European state with a small population. There are dependent territories in that list, too, so that might qualify the further British dependencies in Europe of Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, and Akrotiri and Dhekelia, alongside the Ã…land Islands, and Svalbard and Jan Mayen.

Oh, and (pedant alert), since when was Cyprus European? Might as well invite Greenland, in that case, too.

[Roger de Coverly]

There are dependent territories in that list, too, so that might qualify the further British dependencies in Europe of Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, and Akrotiri and Dhekelia, alongside the Ã…land Islands, and Svalbard and Jan Mayen.

I rather think they have to be members of FIDE in their own right. The qualification requirement is more stringent than it used to be, I believe you must have, or be allowed to have, an Olympic Committee.

[Chris Rice]

At the Euro Club Cup there was an individual prize for the highest score from a club from a "small nation". Small nation wasn't defined in the regulations but my Icelandic brethren told me it was for clubs from countries under a million in population. I don't actually know who won the prize in the end but we had a collective discussion on it and decided Alberto David was probably a nailed on certainty as he played for some obscure Luxembourg team.

[David Sedgwick]

What are the qualifications for participation in the European Small Nations Team CC?

The ten Federations entitled to participate are those which a few years ago left their existing FIDE Zones and formed a new Zone 1.10. See http://www.fide.com/fide/handbook.html? ... ew=article.

The European Small Nations Team Championship itself predates the formation of the Zone.

At the Turin Olympiad 2006 I was informed that the definition of a "small nation" was a population of less than two million, but I think all these ten actually have a population of less than one million.

My understanding is that Iceland opted out, as they felt more at home amongst the "larger" Federations. I'm not sure whether the same is true of Montenegro, or whether they came into existence too late to have the opportunity. With ten being a convenient number, I suspect that it's a closed club.

As Chris has mentioned, the Europe Echecs site is hosting the live games transmission. Details of the event are available at http://www.europe-echecs.com/art/tourno ... -5197.html. The 3.00 pm starting time (2.00 pm UK Time) doesn't apply every day, as there are nine rounds in seven days and the customary early start on the final day.

David Norwood is playing for Andorra, who I think are probably the favourites.

[Mick Norris]

What? You're not going to be following the European Small Nations Team Chess Championship that's just popped up on the ECU site today?

Chris

I have to say that one had not appeared on my radar

[Paul McKeown]

Thanks, Chris and David, informative answers. If it were two million, that would allow Estonia and (probably) Latvia to enter, which would again spoil the fun. It would also raise the vexed question of Kosovo. The issue of Olympic recognition raised by Roger is, of course, subject to all the hypocrisies of international politics and produces shameful inconsistencies.

[Jonathan Rogers]

This (the main event!) is the one that England has not qualified to play in this century, a fact we don't see bandied about very much when we are hyping up our better teams for medal chances time and again.

It's hard to pick a winner, of course, but China have come close before and their progress seems remorseless so I'll suggest that their time might come this year.

[Mick Norris]

I see we twice won bronze
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Team ... ampionship

Bigger teams when it started, and always in Lucerne for some reason

[Roger de Coverly]

I see we twice won bronze
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Team ... ampionship

Fourth in 1997, the final appearance to date.

Short, Adams, Sadler, Speelman, Hodgson, Nunn. Four from six in each match.

[David Sedgwick]

Reverting to the European Small Nations Team Championship:

The games will be broadcast Live at http://www.europe-echecs.com/

As Chris has mentioned, the Europe Echecs site is hosting the live games transmission. Details of the event are available at http://www.europe-echecs.com/art/tourno ... -5197.html. The 3.00 pm starting time (2.00 pm UK Time) doesn't apply every day, as there are nine rounds in seven days and the customary early start on the final day.

It is the actually the FFE (French Chess Federation) site which is hosting the live games. Go to http://www.echecs.asso.fr and click on the relevant links to see Guernsey valiantly taking on the "mighty" Andorra, or whichever other match takes your fancy.

I was initially confused by apparently being shown the same game four times, but then I found the arrows which enabled me to choose different games.

[Angus French]

Official video commentary: http://live.satranctv.org/. Unofficial commentary: http://www.twitch.tv/blitzstream#6841. HT: Mark Crowther.

[Mick Norris]

First round results here:
http://wctc2013.tsf.org.tr/en/component ... iew&kid=14

Very close matches

You can play through the games here
http://www.theweekinchess.com/live

[LawrenceCooper]

First round results here:
http://wctc2013.tsf.org.tr/en/component ... iew&kid=14

Very close matches

You can play through the games here
http://www.theweekinchess.com/live

Bit of a shoker for Naiditsch on board three