Batumi Olympiad

[JustinHorton]

Top board in the women's event: Rodríguez Arrieta of Costa Rica draws with Russia's Goryachkina, graded 592 points above her, and might well have done better than that.

[Chris Rice]

Worst England result ever in an Olympiad?

I don't see how a match win can be a worst ever result, or even a particularly bad one. It scores a full match point and may also secure easier opposition in the coming rounds.

Agreed, any Premiership manager will tell you it doesn't make any difference if you win ugly, just make sure you win. In this regard I'm taking a leap assuming John Nunn doesn't mind winning ugly.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Li Chao has lost to an untitled Moroccan.

[Mick Norris]

IM Yarmonov, Igor 2376 - GM Radjabov, Teimour 2751 ½ - ½ among other interesting results

Presumably if Luke's trying to play himself into form we need to pick him again tomorrow

England v Belgium pairings

England v Scotland in the women's event

[Nick Burrows]

I was hoping Ireland would get stronger opponents

[Stewart Reuben]

.Nick Had they managed to beat Russia 2 in the final round they would have won medals.,

Howver, n ick, it was 14 matches in those days. Indeed, Moscow 1994 England were in danger of winning. I remember discussing with David Jarrett the idea of our having a celebratory dinner if we won.
'Is that what we usually do in these circumstances?' David asked.

[Matt Mackenzie]

We were even nearer to winning it in 1986......

[Tim Harding]

I was hoping Ireland would get stronger opponents

Yeah, at first our chairman thought we had the Yanks but we can play them later after beating Russia.

Seriously, it's a great opportunity for our new champion Alex Lopez who has been on great form lately. Because he rested today (late arrival due to flight issues) I am not sure whether he will be on board 2 or 1. I hope it's two because then he'll have White.

[NickFaulks]

Indeed, Moscow 1994 England were in danger of winning.

I must say that I don't recall that bit. Oh, you must mean if we had beaten Russia 1.

[David Sedgwick]

Always interesting to see what the players got in their goodies bag. Long gone are the days of Kirsan when it was champagne and caviar.

Either Zibbit was unlucky, or he was dissembling slightly. In addition to the things he showed, my goody bad also contained a 375ml bottle of Georgian white wine.

[Richard Bates]

Always interesting to see what the players got in their goodies bag. Long gone are the days of Kirsan when it was champagne and caviar.

Either Zibbit was unlucky, or he was dissembling slightly. In addition to the things he showed, my goody bad also contained a 375ml bottle of Georgian white wine.

One would assume there would have to be some "personalisation" - i can't imagine putting alcohol in everyone's bag would have been treated appreciatively.

[David Sedgwick]

Always interesting to see what the players got in their goodies bag. Long gone are the days of Kirsan when it was champagne and caviar.

Either Zibbit was unlucky, or he was dissembling slightly. In addition to the things he showed, my goody bad also contained a 375ml bottle of Georgian white wine.

One would assume there would have to be some "personalisation" - i can't imagine putting alcohol in everyone's bag would have been treated appreciatively.

That's a very valid point, but I'm not sure whether it had occurred to the Georgians.

[NickFaulks]

One would assume there would have to be some "personalisation" - i can't imagine putting alcohol in everyone's bag would have been treated appreciatively.

Perhaps, but why leave out the Icelanders, of all people?

More importantly, I didn't get a goody bag at all.

[JustinHorton]

Either Zibbit was unlucky, or he was dissembling slightly. In addition to the things he showed, my goody bad also contained a 375ml bottle of Georgian white wine.

One would assume there would have to be some "personalisation" - i can't imagine putting alcohol in everyone's bag would have been treated appreciatively.

That's a very valid point, but I'm not sure whether it had occurred to the Georgians.

For what it's worth I believe the proportion of Georgia's population who are Muslim is rather higher than is the case in the United Kingdom.

[Richard Bates]

One would assume there would have to be some "personalisation" - i can't imagine putting alcohol in everyone's bag would have been treated appreciatively.

Perhaps, but why leave out the Icelanders, of all people?

For the sake of their livers?