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RIA Novosti
November 02, 2004
RUSSIA TAKES SILVER AT CHESS OLYMPIAD
MOSCOW, November 2 (RIA Novosti Sports Observer Mikhail Smirnov) - The
36th Chess Olympiad in Calvia, Spain will go down to history as
something that was impossible for the last quarter of a century; the
Russian men's team did not win and was surpassed by one of the
successors to the Soviet chess school, Ukraine. The Russian team, which
had the same score as the Armenian team, took second place by external
factors.
The last time the Soviet men's team did not win the gold at the Chess
Olympiad was in 1978. At the time, the loss was explained by the
absence of Anatoly Karpov who at the time was engaged in the battle for
the crown with Viktor Korchnoy in Bagio.
Now, ironically there are similar reasons. Several players were not on
the Russian team because they were competing in individual chess
tournaments. Vladimir Kramnik, who would have been useful on Yevgeny
Bareevy's team, defended his title as Classical World Chess Champion
against Peter Leko. Garry Kasparov, who has worked individually with
the Great K, Anatoly Karpov, for a long time was not on the team.
The three Alexanders (Morozevich, Grischuk, and Khalifman) were the
leaders of the team in their absence, losing at the most inopportune
moment to their main competitors-the Ukrainians and the Bulgarians. It
is likely that all of them saved their strength before the super final
of the Russian championship in Russia, which is expected to feature
Kasparov and Karpov.
However, maybe the uncertainty in the chess world played a part.
Kramnik, right in the middle of the Olympiad, reminded everyone that
chess had not become a professional sport, as had been promised in
Prague two years ago. The classical chess world champion and the
Association of Chess Professionals, which he supports, have come out in
favor for a fixed system for the world title with a compulsory match
against the reigning champion. Kramnik has challenged FIDE to adopt
these principles and Kaspartov, who has agreed to a match for the FIDE
crown with Rustem Kasymjanov with $1, 200,000 up for grabs.
The FIDE leadership is unlikely to meet Kramnik and his team halfway in
these conditions. This mean that the second Kasparov vs. Kramnik match
is unlikely to take place, even though chess fans around the world are
waiting for this encounter.
If this scenario in Russian and world chess, mean that the sensational
result of the 36th Chess Olympiad may become a routine event for
Russians?
November 02, 2004
RUSSIA TAKES SILVER AT CHESS OLYMPIAD
MOSCOW, November 2 (RIA Novosti Sports Observer Mikhail Smirnov) - The
36th Chess Olympiad in Calvia, Spain will go down to history as
something that was impossible for the last quarter of a century; the
Russian men's team did not win and was surpassed by one of the
successors to the Soviet chess school, Ukraine. The Russian team, which
had the same score as the Armenian team, took second place by external
factors.
The last time the Soviet men's team did not win the gold at the Chess
Olympiad was in 1978. At the time, the loss was explained by the
absence of Anatoly Karpov who at the time was engaged in the battle for
the crown with Viktor Korchnoy in Bagio.
Now, ironically there are similar reasons. Several players were not on
the Russian team because they were competing in individual chess
tournaments. Vladimir Kramnik, who would have been useful on Yevgeny
Bareevy's team, defended his title as Classical World Chess Champion
against Peter Leko. Garry Kasparov, who has worked individually with
the Great K, Anatoly Karpov, for a long time was not on the team.
The three Alexanders (Morozevich, Grischuk, and Khalifman) were the
leaders of the team in their absence, losing at the most inopportune
moment to their main competitors-the Ukrainians and the Bulgarians. It
is likely that all of them saved their strength before the super final
of the Russian championship in Russia, which is expected to feature
Kasparov and Karpov.
However, maybe the uncertainty in the chess world played a part.
Kramnik, right in the middle of the Olympiad, reminded everyone that
chess had not become a professional sport, as had been promised in
Prague two years ago. The classical chess world champion and the
Association of Chess Professionals, which he supports, have come out in
favor for a fixed system for the world title with a compulsory match
against the reigning champion. Kramnik has challenged FIDE to adopt
these principles and Kaspartov, who has agreed to a match for the FIDE
crown with Rustem Kasymjanov with $1, 200,000 up for grabs.
The FIDE leadership is unlikely to meet Kramnik and his team halfway in
these conditions. This mean that the second Kasparov vs. Kramnik match
is unlikely to take place, even though chess fans around the world are
waiting for this encounter.
If this scenario in Russian and world chess, mean that the sensational
result of the 36th Chess Olympiad may become a routine event for
Russians?