Batumi Olympiad

[Roger de Coverly]

Does anyone know if Martin Walker playing for South Korea is a new thing, or has he played for them in the past?

I think it's his debut. He was playing in England up to a couple of years ago.

Don't forget Yorkshire's PNG FM.

http://chessexpress.blogspot.com/2018/0 ... -team.html

Stuart Fancy, also of PNG, was a London junior in the 1970s.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Heh. Good spot. I am sure there are other such connections as well, especially if you look at Ireland, Scotland and Wales (and the Channel Islands and so on) and some of the weaker Anglophone countries. A more obscure example is John Dempsey who transferred in 2015 from SCO to the ISV (the US Virgin Islands) and is also playing in this Olympiad.

[NickFaulks]

If there's an odd number of entries, they are allowed 3.

In practice, when the draw for the first round is made nobody has any idea how many teams will show up at some point, so if the home federation wants three teams they get them. Later on, teams at the bottom end will be given a bye in order that the hosts' third team gets a game.

When Kirsan was still in charge as President and Russia were the hosts, there were 5 Russian teams.

That was interesting. I was not a team captain but smuggled myself into the Captains' meeting. As Sava was running through the regulations she mentioned that Russia would have five teams and moved along rapidly. As soon as I realised that this was about to pass without comment I raised my hand and shouted something like "five teams, what, five teams??". The rest of the room then noticed that something odd was going on and there was a mini-riot, led by Loek van Wely. Made no difference, of course.

[Matt Mackenzie]

IIRC one of those five teams was solely from Kalmykia??

[Tim Harding]

Heh. Good spot. I am sure there are other such connections as well, especially if you look at Ireland, Scotland and Wales (and the Channel Islands and so on) and some of the weaker Anglophone countries. A more obscure example is John Dempsey who transferred in 2015 from SCO to the ISV (the US Virgin Islands) and is also playing in this Olympiad.

So far as Ireland is concerned, NO. Some of our players on both teams may have foreign-looking names but I don't think any are of British background. (The women's top board, who is a barrister I think, may be working in England now.)
On the men's team, obviously Alex Baburin was originally from Russia but he's an Irish citizen and has been here for about 25 years now.
Alex Lopez (as he prefers to call himself) is from Cork; Stephen Jessel has one Irish and one French parent.

On the women's team, we have two of Romanian background but Diana is from Limerick. This is her third olympiad and she's only 18.
Ioana (nee Gelip), who is non-playing captain and Irish women's champion, is unfortunately not eligible until next time.
The Plaza Reino clan (there's quite a few of them) transferred from Spain to Ireland a couple of years ago.

Next time around (or the olympiad after that) I expect we shall have some players with Indian and Chinese names, all born in Ireland.

[Alex Holowczak]

In terms of British connections, Helen Milligan is in the New Zealand women's team: http://chess-results.com/tnr368909.aspx ... t=8&snr=78

One English connection I doubt anyone would have spotted, but Joy Ching Li, who played in Warwickshire's county junior teams at Under 9 and Under 11 level as recently as last November before relocating back to Hong Kong, is on the team list for Hong Kong women's team: http://chess-results.com/tnr368909.aspx ... =8&snr=130

[Kevin Thurlow]

"May have answered my own question: Martin Walker transferred from ENG to KOR in 2015"

Martin worked in South Korea some years back, so presumably he returned for another stint. It would explain why I haven't seen him around!

[Stewart Reuben]

Tim Harding >On the men's team,<
Nt again. there is NO men's team. There are open teams, which my happen to b constituted solely of men.

Nick Faulks . Later on, teams at the bottom end will be given a bye in order that the hosts' third team gets a game.<

Nick, you write as if that were a given necessity. If the bottom 3 teams were paired together as in a jamboree, there would be no need for a bye at any stage. There would be a few difficulties to be ironed out, such as could two teams meet each other twice in the triangulation. It is absurd that the composition of the teams is not known before the start of the first round.

[NickFaulks]

Nick, you write as if that were a given necessity.

No, I write as if it were the way things have happened, do happen and will hereafter continue to happen. Your solution is good, but an even better one is that the host's third team operates as supposedly intended, which is that they play only in rounds when there is otherwise an odd number of teams.

[Alex Holowczak]

Nick, you write as if that were a given necessity.

No, I write as if it were the way things have happened, do happen and will hereafter continue to happen. Your solution is good, but an even better one is that the host's third team operates as supposedly intended, which is that they play only in rounds when there is otherwise an odd number of teams.

That would require changing the regulations, though:

2. The organizing federation shall be entitled to enter a second team ("B" team). If there is an odd number of participating teams the organizing federation has the right to enter a third team ("C" team).

3. If the "C" team is paired and plays round 1 it shall remain in the tournament to the conclusion even though a team or teams dropping out or a new team or teams arriving subsequently results in an odd number of teams still in competition.

[NickFaulks]

That would require changing the regulations, though

Indeed it would. They were slipped through when nobody was looking.

[Stewart Reuben]

Alex: .That would require changing the regulations, though:<

That isn't the problem. It is changing the rules sensibly. Then the next problem is preventing the Presidential Board changing them again AFTER the GA has made its decision.
A challenge for you Alex, getting to attend the WC and Olympiad Commission Meeting.

[Alistair Campbell]

The teams are out. USA are the top seeds in the Open section which is the first time since the break up of the Soviet Union and clearly are heavy favourites to defend their title. Carlsen not playing but Anand back after a break of over 10 years. England are 8th seeds, Ireland 65th Scotland 68th and Wales 106th.
In the Women's event Russia are the favourites, Ukraine second favourites and China, in the absence of Hou Yifan, only third. England come in at 30th seeds, Scotland 68th, Wales 71st and Ireland 88th.

I think the seedings may have changed - I clicked on the links and was initially surprised by all the strange names in the squads.

I think there was some controversy over the selection criteria, but I'm happy enough with our teams.

Andy Muir has pointed out that Roddy McKay will become the oldest player to represent Scotland (he is already the youngest). I look forward to him rolling back the years with some McKay magic. Andrew Greet will be in with a chance of a GM norm, Alan Tate may make progress (again!) to the IM title (I think he was badly advised when he got to 2399) and it's good to see some new blood like Murad and Clement get a crack - IM norms must be possible. And of course, there will be chances of WFM titles for the women.

[NickFaulks]

And of course, there will be chances of WFM titles for the women.

I hope you're right, but 6/9 is quite a target. Also, it tends to depend upon other team members not doing very well.

[Tim Harding]

I think the seedings may have changed

Yes, the Georgia teams are now included and as a result Ireland are down three places to 68th.
Scotland and Wales drop three places too.
However the seedings will soon change again when the September ratings are applied.

There are now 183 teams in the Open and 150 in the Women's.