AUSTRALIAN-SWISS FAMILY FOUND A 2nd HOME IN PALAU
I met this Aussie-Swiss family in April 29, 2017 at Waves Restaurant of PRR. I mistakenly thought that their kid is a girl! They are residing in Palau and I promise them that I will feature them in Tia Belau. When we talk about chess, the wife (Swiss) said his dad can talk about chess for 6 hours! Ten years ago, I can talk also for 7 hours about chess and music. Now, I can have conversation for 8 hours if the subjects are about chess, music, Bible and basketball!
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez)
CHESS OLYMPIAD HISTORY
(Part 1)
Hosting such an important chess event as a Chess Olympiad, remains for any country as very special memories. While Batumi, Georgia is getting ready to write the next chapter of the history of Chess Olympiads next year, it’s worthy to recall the most important and interesting facts of the previous major chess events. The Chess Olympiad is one of the major events in the world of sports, attracting more than 150 countries and around 3,000 athletes and officials.
The first two Olympiads were organized unofficially in 1924 and 1926. It was in 1924 when the first attempt to include chess in the Olympic Games was made. Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful because of the troubles in distinguishing amateurs from professional chess players. The ending of the first unofficial Chess Olympiad became a milestone in chess history as the World Chess Federation (FIDE-Fédération Internationale des Echecs) was created during its closing day - July 20th, 1924 in Paris. This historical day became not only a birthday of FIDE but also the international day of chess.
FIDE organized the first Official Olympiad (the name “Olympiad” became official only in 1952) in 1927 in London. The Olympiads were held occasionally and at irregular intervals until World War II. There was a long break from 1939 until 1950 but since 1950 they have been held regularly every two years. 42 Olympiads have been organized since 1927 and the Olympiad in Batumi will be the 43rd.
The first Chess Olympiad in London gathered 16 teams; in 2014 at the 41st Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway, their number reached 176 in open section. In the first ever Women's Chess Olympiad (1957) the number of the teams was 21 while in Tromso, there were 136 female teams. A number of features which are standard in Olympiads today were absent in the first events. Most teams had just four players and some had one or even two reserve players. In the early Olympiads the playing schedule was very exhausting. At the first ones 15 rounds had to be played in 11 days, so on fourth day there was an extra round. At the same time there were adjourned games and so, the unfinished games had to be played the following morning!
Nowadays the competition consists of 11 rounds, with one round per day, 1 or 2 free days and every team has one captain and one reserve player. No need to emphasize that all games have to be finished the same day. FIDE Congress in 1927 bowed under the tension of British delegates and decided to allow only amateurs to take part in Olympiads hoping for the inclusion of the Chess Olympiad to the Olympic Games. As a result, the world top players ignored the Olympiad in Hague in 1928, weakening its strength and prestige. The definition of the amateur status was left to the national federations and different countries took different decisions. The situation changed over the years and Olympiads became the most prestigious team competition where the strongest players of the World represent their countries. Almost all the World Champions and contenders for the title have taken part in the Olympiads, except Steinitz who died in 1900 and Lasker who was already retired in 1927.
On September 1st, 1957 FIDE launched the first-ever Women's Chess Olympiad, which was held separately from the “Open” Chess Olympiad. It took place at Emmen (Holland). There was a surprisingly large entry of twenty-two nations for this two-a-side event, for which only Chile failed to appear. For the first time the Open and Women's Olympiads were held together in Skopje in 1972. Those two events were once again separated in 1974 for the last time to be united since 1976 till nowadays.
Before the Second World War, the Women's World Championship coincided with the Olympiad. The first championship, in London in 1927, was won by Vera Menchik. She also won the 2nd (Hamburg 1930) and the followings until the 7th (Buenos Aires 1939) championships. (To be continued next issue)
The first two Olympiads were organized unofficially in 1924 and 1926. It was in 1924 when the first attempt to include chess in the Olympic Games was made. Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful because of the troubles in distinguishing amateurs from professional chess players. The ending of the first unofficial Chess Olympiad became a milestone in chess history as the World Chess Federation (FIDE-Fédération Internationale des Echecs) was created during its closing day - July 20th, 1924 in Paris. This historical day became not only a birthday of FIDE but also the international day of chess.
FIDE organized the first Official Olympiad (the name “Olympiad” became official only in 1952) in 1927 in London. The Olympiads were held occasionally and at irregular intervals until World War II. There was a long break from 1939 until 1950 but since 1950 they have been held regularly every two years. 42 Olympiads have been organized since 1927 and the Olympiad in Batumi will be the 43rd.
The first Chess Olympiad in London gathered 16 teams; in 2014 at the 41st Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway, their number reached 176 in open section. In the first ever Women's Chess Olympiad (1957) the number of the teams was 21 while in Tromso, there were 136 female teams. A number of features which are standard in Olympiads today were absent in the first events. Most teams had just four players and some had one or even two reserve players. In the early Olympiads the playing schedule was very exhausting. At the first ones 15 rounds had to be played in 11 days, so on fourth day there was an extra round. At the same time there were adjourned games and so, the unfinished games had to be played the following morning!
Nowadays the competition consists of 11 rounds, with one round per day, 1 or 2 free days and every team has one captain and one reserve player. No need to emphasize that all games have to be finished the same day. FIDE Congress in 1927 bowed under the tension of British delegates and decided to allow only amateurs to take part in Olympiads hoping for the inclusion of the Chess Olympiad to the Olympic Games. As a result, the world top players ignored the Olympiad in Hague in 1928, weakening its strength and prestige. The definition of the amateur status was left to the national federations and different countries took different decisions. The situation changed over the years and Olympiads became the most prestigious team competition where the strongest players of the World represent their countries. Almost all the World Champions and contenders for the title have taken part in the Olympiads, except Steinitz who died in 1900 and Lasker who was already retired in 1927.
On September 1st, 1957 FIDE launched the first-ever Women's Chess Olympiad, which was held separately from the “Open” Chess Olympiad. It took place at Emmen (Holland). There was a surprisingly large entry of twenty-two nations for this two-a-side event, for which only Chile failed to appear. For the first time the Open and Women's Olympiads were held together in Skopje in 1972. Those two events were once again separated in 1974 for the last time to be united since 1976 till nowadays.
Before the Second World War, the Women's World Championship coincided with the Olympiad. The first championship, in London in 1927, was won by Vera Menchik. She also won the 2nd (Hamburg 1930) and the followings until the 7th (Buenos Aires 1939) championships. (To be continued next issue)
Solution to last week’s puzzle No. 4416: 1. …Qf1+!! 2. Kxf1 Ne3++ 3. Kg1 Rf1#
Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
Page 9-10
Volume 26
Issue 48
June 19, 2017
Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
Soon to be published as a book
Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
March 15, 2012--April 18, 2013
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
April 25, 2013--June 19, 2017
The History of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
June 09, 2002--June 19, 2017
