Batumi Olympiad

[Jonathan Rogers]

Momentum with China now, I would say.

Shame that David was the one to lose today. But there it is, what kind of country can have Kramnik on board three?

England might then be playing someone close to their own strength perhaps only for the second or third time tomorrow (the match against France was our one against obviously equal opponents, arguably the match against the ageing Israelis was another).

Or not! Kazakhstan! If we were another country, anyone would think we had successfuly hacked the pairing system for much of this event.

But maybe Nick will play now?

[JustinHorton]

Wikipedia tells me we're going by Sonneborn-Berger, is that right?

Also, early start, yes?

[Matt Fletcher]

It's been pointed out on Twitter that board 35 sees IBCA take on ICCD - has that pairing come up many times before? I'm also genuinely interested to know how it works logistically as presumably announcing moves wouldn't work particularly well?

[LawrenceCooper]

It's been pointed out on Twitter that board 35 sees IBCA take on ICCD - has that pairing come up many times before? I'm also genuinely interested to know how it works logistically as presumably announcing moves wouldn't work particularly well?

From Facebook:

Alex Holowczak
1 hr ·
An Olympiad first in Round 11 tomorrow: The Blind against the Deaf. They all have assistants, so it *should* be fine...

[Mick Norris]

Momentum with China now, I would say.

Shame that David was the one to lose today. But there it is, what kind of country can have Kramnik on board three?

England might then be playing someone close to their own strength perhaps only for the second or third time tomorrow (the match against France was our one against obviously equal opponents, arguably the match against the ageing Israelis was another).

Or not! Kazakhstan! If we were another country, anyone would think we had successfuly hacked the pairing system for much of this event.

But maybe Nick will play now?

No

Bo. 9 England (ENG) Rtg - 37 Kazakhstan (KAZ) Rtg

6.1 GM Adams, Michael 2712 - GM Jumabayev, Rinat 2605
6.2 GM McShane, Luke J 2672 - GM Ismagambetov, Anuar 2538
6.3 GM Howell, David W L 2689 - GM Kazhgaleyev, Murtas 2582
6.4 GM Jones, Gawain C B 2677 - IM Makhnev, Denis 2449

[Mick Norris]

Bo. 25 England (ENG) Rtg - 18 Italy (ITA) Rtg

17.1 IM Houska, Jovanka 2402 - IM Zimina, Olga 2421
17.2 FM Kalaiyalahan, Akshaya 2253 - IM Sedina, Elena 2267
17.3 IM Ciuksyte, Dagne 2308 - FM Di Benedetto, Desiree 2321
17.4 WIM Maroroa, Sue 2112 - FM Brunello, Marina 2294

[Matt Fletcher]

It's been pointed out on Twitter that board 35 sees IBCA take on ICCD - has that pairing come up many times before? I'm also genuinely interested to know how it works logistically as presumably announcing moves wouldn't work particularly well?

From Facebook:

Alex Holowczak
1 hr ·
An Olympiad first in Round 11 tomorrow: The Blind against the Deaf. They all have assistants, so it *should* be fine...

Thanks Loz - Alex doesn't sound overly convinced
I'm sure it'll be fine!

[Chris Rice]

Interesting photo and given what happened we can only wonder what the Russia-England match score might have been?

[JustinHorton]

I don't think England would ever have put their reserve in for that fixture

[Mike W. Richardt]

It's been pointed out on Twitter that board 35 sees IBCA take on ICCD - has that pairing come up many times before? I'm also genuinely interested to know how it works logistically as presumably announcing moves wouldn't work particularly well?

Martin Lewis is playing do ICCD - and what a tournament he's having!!!
http://chess-results.com/tnr368908.aspx ... 30&snr=580

[JustinHorton]

Gawain amusingly punting 4...O-O in the King's Indian, Makhnyov not tempted

[JustinHorton]

Meanwhile Caruana has played the 4 e3 Classical English against Ding. Stockfish on Chess24 reckons his 7 d4 was a mistake that Ding didn't punish, so what's going on there?

[Event "Olympiad"] [Site "Batumi"] [Date "2018.10.05"] [Round "11.1.1"] [White "Caruana"] [Black "Ding"] 1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. e3 Bb4 5. Qc2 Bxc3 6. Qxc3 Qe7 7. d4


EDIT: Stockfish has changed its mind

[Thomas Rendle]

All looks very standard to me, probably just a temporary depth issue. It certainly doesn't seem Caruana has really found much with White but the middlegame should be interesting (position is unclear rather than dull equality).

[JustinHorton]

All looks very standard to me, probably just a temporary depth issue.

That's what I assumed, since I very much doubt Caruana was going to be chucking in blunders as ewarly as move seven in a contemporary variation he'll have looked at overnight, but curious all the same. (I'm always amused, by the way, when Stockfish on Chessbomb awards 2...g6 a red marking, like it's 1925 or something.)

[benedgell]

It's been pointed out on Twitter that board 35 sees IBCA take on ICCD - has that pairing come up many times before? I'm also genuinely interested to know how it works logistically as presumably announcing moves wouldn't work particularly well?

Martin Lewis is playing do ICCD - and what a tournament he's having!!!
http://chess-results.com/tnr368908.aspx ... 30&snr=580

Unless I've read it wrong Lewis has got the FM title with his performance.