2016 Olympiad - Baku

[Tim Harding]

They the International Braille Chess Association, they have the English lad Chris Ross playing for them.

But not today, presumably because they are playing England.

[Colin Patterson]

Something strange about the French board order - can it be adjusted match by match, or does this now have to be their permanent strategy, i.e. for the elevated Maze to risk the odd thumping, while the likes of Edouard and Fressinet get to play weaker opposition?

[Roger de Coverly]

can it (board order) be adjusted match by match,

Olympiad board orders are locked at the start of the competition with no requirement to set the locked order either by strength or rating.

[Colin Patterson]

Thanks Roger - that's what I thought. May just be that Fressinet/Edouard are badly out of shape or lacking practice perhaps.

[David Sedgwick]

Horrible number of first round defaults. I shall never understand why these teams get put into the draw when it is known that they have not come through the airport.

I don't think that happened at Tromso Olympiad 2014. If you didn't appear and register a specified period of time before the first round, you didn't get to play in that round.

Even in Baku, about ten teams that had originally entered were not put in the draw, presumably because it was known that they had not turned up.

I wonder whether communication issues meant that the Pairings Committee lacked accurate information about which teams had or had not got there. They wouldn't want to risk omitting a team which had in fact arrived and registered in accordance with the Regulations.

[NickFaulks]

I don't think that happened at Tromso Olympiad 2014. If you didn't appear and register a specified period of time before the first round, you didn't get to play in that round.

Indeed, such a good idea but abandoned after one successful go.

[Mike W. Richardt]

Then it must be still more amazing that they hold international FIDE rated events in their own country.

see my above comment!

[benedgell]

I usually cheer on Seychelles at the Olympiads, are they one of the teams that didn't make it?

[Jonathan Rogers]

Assuming that chessbomb is showing the right positions (and colours!) - a caveat which, experience shows, is worth making in the early rounds - we are somewhat worse overall at around move 20!

[Mike W. Richardt]

I usually cheer on Seychelles at the Olympiads, are they one of the teams that didn't make it?

You had some of their players in your fantasy team?

[benedgell]

Can't remember, but I did pick them for overall gold. Just ahead of Wales.

[Jonathan Rogers]

still not any better!

[Angus French]

Howell has apparently lost and Stockfish says England are worse on each of the remaining three boards.

[MJMcCready]

England appear to be struggling a little.

[NickFaulks]

With hindsight, having Mickey sit out the first round may not have been the greatest idea.