Madagascar (99) beat Portugal (49) today. Admittedly, I only checked the match because one of my 4NCL team players was involved.Roger de Coverly wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2026 5:21 pmWith all bar one of the first round matches going according to the seeding, the second round has become top quartile v second quartile and third quartile v fourth quartile In other words like the first round of accelerated pairings. The lower part of the second round had gone to form as well with the third quartile scoring 4-0 and 3.5-0.5 against the fourth quartile, so the top of the third round will be top eighth v second eighth. Each quartile has about 50 teams.
2026 Chess Olympiad
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LawrenceCooper
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Re: 2026 Chess Olympiad
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JustinHorton
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Re: 2026 Chess Olympiad
Levin for Chess.com seems to have missed this, though he spotted El Salvador beating Cuba.LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2026 5:36 pmMadagascar (99) beat Portugal (49) today. Admittedly, I only checked the match because one of my 4NCL team players was involved.
Last edited by JustinHorton on Thu Sep 17, 2026 7:11 pm, edited 2 times in total.
"Do you play chess?"
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
"Yes, but I prefer a game with a better chance of cheating."
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Mick Norris
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Re: 2026 Chess Olympiad
England v Lithuania next
England women v Brazil
England women v Brazil
Any postings on here represent my personal views
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Roger de Coverly
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Re: 2026 Chess Olympiad
No top team has blinked yet in the Open, so England remain on board 10. The women move up one board as Georgia were held to a draw by Montenegro.
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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: 2026 Chess Olympiad
Few countries can have suffered more from a chess "brain drain" than Cuba tbh.JustinHorton wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2026 5:55 pmLevin for Chess.com seems to have missed this, though he spotted El Salvador beating Cuba.LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2026 5:36 pmMadagascar (99) beat Portugal (49) today. Admittedly, I only checked the match because one of my 4NCL team players was involved.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)
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Alex Holowczak
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Re: 2026 Chess Olympiad
I raise you: IranMatt Mackenzie wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2026 7:11 pmFew countries can have suffered more from a chess "brain drain" than Cuba tbh.JustinHorton wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2026 5:55 pmLevin for Chess.com seems to have missed this, though he spotted El Salvador beating Cuba.LawrenceCooper wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2026 5:36 pmMadagascar (99) beat Portugal (49) today. Admittedly, I only checked the match because one of my 4NCL team players was involved.
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LawrenceCooper
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Re: 2026 Chess Olympiad
Interview with Bodhana: https://x.com/chess24com/status/2100575475642904798
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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: 2026 Chess Olympiad
To an extent, but their offering here is still rated 18th overall and has a top board rated 2737.Alex Holowczak wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2026 7:21 pmI raise you: IranMatt Mackenzie wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2026 7:11 pmFew countries can have suffered more from a chess "brain drain" than Cuba tbh.JustinHorton wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2026 5:55 pm
Levin for Chess.com seems to have missed this, though he spotted El Salvador beating Cuba.
Unlike them, the Cuban team is all GMs - but the highest rated (and board 1) is 2505.
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)
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Paul Cooksey
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Re: 2026 Chess Olympiad
The Iranian Open team is still very strong. Their women's team hugely weakened though.
I have to admit Dominguez is the only strong Cuban I can think of who changed federation. Am I missing some?
I have to admit Dominguez is the only strong Cuban I can think of who changed federation. Am I missing some?
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LawrenceCooper
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Re: 2026 Chess Olympiad
https://ratings.fide.com/profile/3503739Paul Cooksey wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2026 8:41 pmI have to admit Dominguez is the only strong Cuban I can think of who changed federation. Am I missing some?
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Roger de Coverly
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Re: 2026 Chess Olympiad
Google's AI expressed the view thatPaul Cooksey wrote: ↑Thu Sep 17, 2026 8:41 pmI have to admit Dominguez is the only strong Cuban I can think of who changed federation. Am I missing some?
There's also this link which relates to the 2026 team.Top Cuban chess grandmasters like Leinier Domínguez, Lázaro Bruzón, and Yuniesky Quesada have left Cuba over the years due to restrictive sports policies, lack of resources like reliable internet, and political friction with national authorities.
https://en.cibercuba.com/noticias/2026- ... o-nacional