QATAR VS. PALAU 4-0
Palau's first participation in a Chess Olympiad became a reality on August 28, 2012 when it finally sent a 4-player representative in the 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey.
(Photo by Shaun Press)
QATAR SWEPT PALAU;
44 OTHER COUNTRIES SWEPT TOO
THE FIRST round of 2012 World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey was 30 minutes behind schedule. A record 161 countries participated with Russia as top seed in the Open division and China in women's division.
Palau's first round opponent is Qatar, who boasts 2 Grandmasters (GM) in Board 1 and 2, an Internatinal Master (IM) at Board 3 and a FIDE Master on Board 4.
Palau's Board 1 player Roberto Hernandez faced Qatar's top player Mohamad Al-Modiahkli, who has a rating of 2542 against Hernandez 1875.
ELIZABETH MANUEL:
FIRST TOURNAMENT - OLYMPIAD
FIRST OPPONENT - A GRANDMASTER
FIRST ILLEGAL MOVE - 1ST ROUND
FIRST LOSS - IN JUST 13 MOVES
The next World Chess Olympiad will be held in Tromso, Norway from August 01-14, 2014. Their booth is advertising the site in the hallway of the Istanbul Olympiad.
Board 2, 3, 4 of Palau Chess Team. From left, Bernardo Garcia (3), Elizabeth Manuel (2) and Menandro Manuel (4).
From left, Bernardo Garcia, Roberto Hernandez (1) and Menandro Manuel.
Menandro Manuel posing at the giant chessboard.
Bernard's turn this time.
Roberto's turn
At the museum which showcase different chessboards and pieces (modern and old).
Palau team mates pose with Dr. Virgilio de Asa, President of Fiji Chess Federation.
Palau's chess team and Philippines top player GM Wesley So pose for a souvenir photo.
Although Palau was swept in their first round matches, the funny experience in their Board 2 match was an unforgetable one that Elizabeth Manuel was in tears of joy upon hearing the stories of his match against a Grandmaster.
During her game, she forgets to press her chess clock more than 4 times after making a move; she touched 2 pieces before making her final move; she holds a piece for about 3 minutes before letting it off with her right hand holding a pen ready to write her move right away.
Three moves prior to her resignation, she committed an illegal move when she moves a bishop instead of capturing a pawn that's checking her king. Her GM opponent called the attention of the arbiter and he explained to her about the illegal move. He deducted 2 minutes from her and the GM opponent accepted her resignation within 2 moves after realizing an inevitable mate.
Hernandez held ground against GM Mohamad Al-Modiahkli using the Pirc Defence. A very strong passed pawn on d7 hampered his position on the 23rd move.
A queen sacrifice on the succeeding move stunned Hernandez and although Mohamad recovered the queen through the promotion of his d pawn to another queen, the rook double attack on Hernandez' queen and bishop ended the game on the 30th move.
At Board 4, Menandro Manuel had the longest game against an FM and even penetrated the 7th rank with his 2 rooks. But he is 2 pawns behind and his opponent even managed to sacrifice his other rook without anything in return except the promotion of those 2 unopposed pawn.
The Board 3 match is not a positional play by Bernard Garcia. He had only one developed piece, a knight, which was trapped and had to be exchange for 2 pawns and his opponent king will not have the opportunity to castle. But his pieces (2 rooks, a bishop and a knight) is still in their original position and really behind in development.
Before the start of the opening round, Hernandez saw the "Baku2016" World Chess Olympiad. He thought that Baku got the right to host the 2016 Olympiad. He asked the guy who is installing the TV monitor "where is Baku?" but he don't speak English and ask him to talk to the lady that's talking on her cellphone.
She said Baku is in Azerbaijan and they didn't get the right yet to host the 2016 World Chess Olympiad but they are bidding for it. She gave Roberto a gift from Azerbaijan (BAKU), a ceramic and magnetic postholder. He said to her, "I will ask our Delegate to vote for Baku".
Azerbaijan is the hometown of former world chess champion Gary Kasparov, who is running for FIDE President in Tromso, Norway, site of 2014 World Chess Olympiad.
1st round -- Qatar vs. Palau
Roberto Hernandez vs. GM Mohamad Al-Modiahkli
Elizabeth Manuel vs. GM
Bernardo Garcia vs. IM
Menandro Manuel vs. FM
Qatar Chess Team
Before the game.
Solo shot of Bernard at the bulletin board.
Menandro's turn.
Husband and wife team -- Menandro and Elizabeth.
Roberto's turn.
From left, Jan Berglund, Reuben Stewart of English Chess Federation and Jamie Kenmure.
From left, Manuel couple -- Menandro and Elizabeth, Jan Berglund, Reuben Stewart, Roberto Hernandez and Jamie Kenmure,
WORLD CHESS OLYMPIAD
ROUND 1 REPORT
THE LONG awaited 40th World Chess Olympiad began today at the Istanbul Expo Center with the games of the first round.
A record breaking 158 teams compete in the Open Section while the Women's Section has 124 teams participating.
The Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports, Suat Kilic, made the ceremonial first move for GM Shao Xue in the match China-Bangladesh. FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov and the Turkish Chess Federation President Ali Nihat Yazici were present.
As usual in the events run by Swiss pairing system, the top seeded teams faced the lower rated opposition.
Most of the world's best players participating in the Olympiad sat out of the first round. Nevertheless, world #4 Teimour Radjabov played on the first board for Azerbaijan, scoring an important victory against IM Wiedenkeller of Luxembourg. Azerbaijan won convincingly 4-0.
In the Open Section Ukraine began by defeating Iraq 4-0, in a reprise match of the opening of the 2010 Khanty-Mansiysk Olympiad, where Ukraine won the gold medal. Is the history repeating itself for Ukraine?
USA secured a perfect 4-0 score against Jordan, while Armenia scored 3-1 against Bolivia. Bolivia's first and only Grandmaster, Oswaldo Zambrana, stunned the much higher rated GM Sergei Movsesian.
Russia gained a quick 3-0 against Dominican Republic, but in one of the longest games of the day FM William Puntier held GM Evgeny Tomashevsky to a draw.
In the women's section the top seeded teams signed convincing victories. China, Russia, Georgia, USA, India and Poland scored 4-0 against Bangladesh, Bolivia, Guatemala, New Zealand, FYROM and Dominican Republic, respectively.
However, WIM Lougain Dahdal of Jordan defeated IM Lilit Galojan of Armenia to reduce the winning margin to 1-3.
WFM Gabriela Maria Avelar Bonilla from El Salvador snatched a draw from the much higher rated IM Anna Ushenina from Ukraine, however Ukraine still was victorious with 3.5-0.5 match score.
Source:
2012 World Chess Olympiad
Bulletin 1
August 28, 2012
Istanbul, Turkey
No comments:
Post a Comment