44th Olympiad, Chennai 28 July to 10 August 2022

[Roger de Coverly]

Rwanda who are playing Scotland today have their team in the following order of rating - 1131(!), 1566, 1678 and 1877.

The bottom board gets to play Freddie Gordon. This year at least his rating would be closer to his strength.

(edit) Looks like Libya are playing a similar idea. Their match against England

Alrais, Souad Motaz Bashir 0 - IM Houska, Jovanka 2360
Elfelo, Eklas 1562 - WGM Toma, Katarzyna 2303
Albudwi, Nayrouz Albahloul 0 - FM Kalaiyalahan, Akshaya 2158
WFM Elfelo, Khadija 1875 - WCM Varney, Zoe 2045

(/edit)

[David Sedgwick]

Those of a similar vintage to me who have connections to Bucks, Hampshire, Cambridge(shire) and/or Charlton may recognize the name of the Cayman Islands top board. Cliff Shaw was a Hampshire player as a young teenager in the mid-1960s, then moved to Bucks (Aylesbury Grammar School) where he won the county junior individual championship, and later the county title proper. In the late 1970s he played for Charlton, after a stint in Fiji where he won the national title. He's not been permanently domiciled in the UK since then and not played much competitive chess either. But the Tunisian GM he plays today may discover that the player sitting opposite him plays to a higher standard than his notional 1615 rating.

Londoners will recognise the name of Shaun Tracey, Cayman Islands Board 3. He was the driving force behind the establishment of the Cayman Islands Chess Federation.

[Roger de Coverly]

But the Tunisian GM he plays today may discover that the player sitting opposite him plays to a higher standard than his notional 1615 rating.

I did wonder when I saw the name. The year of birth seemed to fit, but the rating didn't. By contrast his school and university contemporary, Steve Orton, will start the British over 65 as fifth seed with a rating of 2116.

[David Sedgwick]

But the Tunisian GM he plays today may discover that the player sitting opposite him plays to a higher standard than his notional 1615 rating.

I did wonder when I saw the name. The year of birth seemed to fit, but the rating didn't. By contrast his school and university contemporary, Steve Orton, will start the British over 65 as fifth seed with a rating of 2116.

Is Cliff Shaw of the Cayman Islands the same person as Cliff Shaw of Kings Head (ECF Grading Code: 244138L)?

[LawrenceCooper]

LiChess seems to be the best site for transmission of moves atm

[Angus French]

LiChess seems to be the best site for transmission of moves atm

Can't see any moves on the England Open team's boards ATM - either on lichess or chess.com... Are they available somewhere else?

[Angus French]

LiChess seems to be the best site for transmission of moves atm

Can't see any moves on the England Open team's boards ATM - either on lichess or chess.com... Are they available somewhere else?

Ah, now I can see them on lichess.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi David,

'He said that he only wished to play if selected for one of the top four boards.'

That sounds like a fact, I don't do facts.
I now doubt any player would find it too boring to represent their
own country at an Olympiad so I need another non-factual reason.

My new view is that after the USA win this he did not want the sore losers to say that the four out of
the five payers were not born in the USA. ('Not Born in the USA' is the flip side of the Bruce Springsteen hit.)
Now it's only three and Nakamura's prima donna excuse is actually an act of patriotism.

[Geoff Chandler]

Chessbomb have them in a glorious uncluttered format with no talking heads.

https://nxt.chessbomb.com/events/2022-f ... lympiad/01

[Roger de Coverly]

Chessbomb have them in a glorious uncluttered format with no talking heads.

There's no discernable logic to the order of display.

Gawain was plus 5 after 7 moves with an opening plan for White similar to that discussed elsewhere on the site.


1. c4 b6 2. Nc3 Bb7 3. e4 e6 4. Nf3 Bb4 5. Qc2 c5 6. Nb5 d5 7. e5 Qe7 8. a3 Ba5 9. cxd5 exd5 10. b4 cxb4 11. Nc7+ Kd8 12. Nxa8 Nc6 13. Bb2 Bxa8 14. Bb5 Nxe5 15. Nxe5

[John Saunders]

Is Cliff Shaw of the Cayman Islands the same person as Cliff Shaw of Kings Head (ECF Grading Code: 244138L)?

Not sure, but it's possible. Cliff may have played some games during brief stays in the UK.

I had high hopes of him achieving a good result today when he surprised his GM opponent with Bxb5 but it's not looking too good now.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Roger

' No discernable logic to the order of display.'

This is more fun just grab a game at random and see what's happening.
I like how user friendly it is and I never listen to any commentary (unless it's Andrew Martin) so I'm happy.
(you can always do a control 'F' and find the hero you are looking for.)

I landed on this; Idani, ((Iran) - Rochas (Nicaragua -)

BB3rk1/p4ppp/1p6/8/1b6/qR4Pb/P3PP1P/3Q1RK1 b - - 0 17

Queens attacked, Rooks attacked Bishop attacked..
White Bishops on a8 and b8 'hello what are you doing here?'

[Geoff Chandler]

Looks like Rwanda did no a show v Scotland .
(unless of course chessbomb have bombed and cannot show the moves.)

[John Moore]

Did Barbados really win on the bottom two boards against Sweden.

[Roger de Coverly]

Not sure, but it's possible. Cliff may have played some games during brief stays in the UK.

I had high hopes of him achieving a good result today when he surprised his GM opponent with Bxb5 but it's not looking too good now.

I found a picture of their team
https://www.facebook.com/cicf.ky/posts/2203039749872714

Looks much the same as he did forty or fifty years ago, apart from the grey hair (!)