Uzbekistan and Ukraine are the 2022 Olympic champions

Undefeated

Ian Nepomniachtchi’s reflection concerning the significance of avoiding losses within the Candidates Event — which he received twice in a row — was additionally relevant on this yr’s Chess Olympiad, as Uzbekistan, within the open, and Ukraine, within the ladies’s part, had been the one groups that completed the match undefeated, they usually took residence gold medals of their respective classes.

The youthful squad from Uzbekistan scored 8 wins and three attracts for a 19/22 rating within the open. Armenia scored the identical variety of factors, however had a markedly inferior tiebreak rating. The group led by Gabriel Sargissian misplaced in spherical 9 in opposition to the eventual champions.

Within the ladies’s part, the second seeds from Ukraine, with an skilled group which included two former ladies’s world champions, scored 7 wins and 4 attracts for an 18/22 rating. Very like within the open, one other group tied with factors with the champions however had an inferior tiebreak rating. Georgia acquired silver, and its one defeat of the occasion was suffered in spherical 6, after they misplaced to India.

On the open match’s podium: Uzbekistan, Armenia and India 2 | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

The host nation, whose group and enthusiasm was nearly universally praised by the members and the viewers, noticed two of its groups grabbing bronze medals. The extremely younger India 2 squad out-performed the ‘first group’ and acquired third place within the open, whereas the sturdy ladies’s group additionally acquired bronze in its part.

Given how issues had been going for the Indian groups that finally made it to the rostrum, getting bronze in each sections absolutely left a bittersweet style among the many locals. A single blunder by Gukesh — who shocked the world by profitable eight video games in a row — prevented his group from beating Uzbekistan in spherical 10, whereas the Indian ladies by no means misplaced the lead (or the shared lead) till the ultimate spherical.

However, we’re positive to see extra excellent performances by Indian groups sooner or later. They’re prone to struggle for gold in lots of editions to return, as they’ve confirmed how efficient junior improvement packages will be. And we will anticipate extra gifted kids to point out up, given how profitable this record-breaking Olympiad has been in Chennai!

The Indian groups | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

Armenia and Uzbekistan rating

The 2 groups that entered the ultimate spherical tied for first place received their matches by the smallest of margins. Gabriel Sargissian (Armenia) and Jakhongir Vakhidov (Uzbekistan) had been the heroes for his or her groups within the matches in opposition to Spain and the Netherlands, respectively.

Vakhidov beat Max Warmerdam to complete the match with an undefeated 6½/8 rating on board 4 and an unbelievable 2813 efficiency score. Vakhidov’s efficiency score was solely a bit increased than that of Nodirbek Abdusattorov on prime board, who scored 8½/11 (there have been no relaxation days for the 17-year-old) and a 2803 TPR!

Alongside the best way, Vakhidov obtained an all-important win over Armenia’s Robert Hovhannisyan, whereas Abdusattorov kicked off the occasion with 5 consecutive victories, together with a win with the black items over none aside from Fabiano Caruana.

Vakhidov grabbed particular person gold on board 4, whereas Abdusattorov took residence silver for his particular person efficiency on board 1.

Time to rejoice — Ivan Sokolov and Jakhongir Vakhidov | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

Boards 1 and a couple of of the profitable group  — Nodirbek Abdusattorov (aged 17) and Nodirbek Yakkuboev (20) | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

As for the Armenians, who for the primary time performed with out their long-time chief Levon Aronian, it was all about Sargissian stepping up within the closing rounds. The 38-year-old had a quiet begin, as he collected 4 attracts and a loss within the first six rounds. From rounds 7 to 11, nonetheless, he scored 4½/5 factors, with wins over Caruana, Pentala Harikrishna, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov and Alexei Shirov!

Shirov’s 15…g6, permitting a bishop fork, turned out to be a decisive mistake. The in-form Sargissian discovered all the suitable strikes to punish the Spaniard’s mistake.

Over 17 minutes had been spent on 15…g6, so we all know Shirov was calculating the implications of 16.Bg5. The person from Riga found out that 16…Qh5 was the strongest continuation, attacking the pawn on f3 and threatening …Bh6 if White grabs the rook on d8.

Nonetheless, as was proven within the sport, White emerges with a greater place after 17.Be2 Bb4 (17…Bg7 was stronger) 18.Qe3 e5 19.Bxd8. Shirov continued enjoying in a shedding place till transfer 49, however Sargissian didn’t falter underneath strain — by that time, he knew that his victory would give Armenia a spot on the rostrum.

Gabriel Sargissian | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

Uzbekistan v Netherlands / Armenia v Spain

Choose an entry from the record to change between video games

India 2 beats Germany; India 1 attracts the US

The sensational India 2 group completed the occasion with a 3-1 victory over Germany. A transparent third place as the one group that acquired 18 match factors was the prize for his or her unbelievable efficiency in Chennai. Within the closing match, Nihal Sarin and Raunak Sadhwani scored wins with the white items to safe bronze medals for the group.

Gukesh drew Vincent Keymer with black to complete the occasion with a 9/11 rating and a stratospheric 2867 score efficiency. After all, the 16-year-old grabbed the person gold medal on board 1 after such dominant efficiency.

The truth that Nihal (gold) and Praggnanandhaa (bronze) additionally obtained particular person medals reveals how shut the group really was to profitable the entire thing. And Raunak fell simply wanting reaching the rostrum on board 5, as he was the fourth-strongest performer on board 5, with a 2642 TPR.

Within the juniors’ stay rankings record, Gukesh is now in clear second place behind Alireza Firouzja, whereas Pragg and Nihal are additionally within the prime 10. However, in reality, there are 4 Indian gamers among the many ten strongest under-20 gamers. Which brings us to…

A future world champion? — Dommaraju Gukesh | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

…Arjun Erigaisi, who joined the ‘2700 membership’ along with his efficiency in Chennai and is now the world quantity 3 within the aforementioned record. The 18-year-old was the one junior participant who made it to the India 1 group, and he absolutely delivered, acquiring an undefeated 8½/11 rating and a 2767 TPR.

Arjun’s nice efficiency was considerably overshadowed by his youthful compatriot’s unbelievable run, however that doesn’t take away from his marvellous displaying in Chennai. Composed but ruthless, the boy from Telangana took residence the silver medal for his particular person efficiency on board 3, after ending the match with a win over Leinier Dominguez.

Dominguez’s 22…Bd7 was not essentially the most exact transfer, because it allowed White to play 23.a5, inserting the pawn on a darkish sq. ready with light-squared bishops on the board. The US grandmaster might have performed 22…a5 himself within the earlier flip, which might have given him significantly better drawing possibilities within the ensuing queenless place.

Arjun Erigaisi | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

Ultimately, the US group acquired fifth place after tying in match factors with India 1 and Moldova. Not reaching the rostrum with the highest-rated squad within the subject was absolutely sudden for the Individuals. It was a case of various gamers under-performing on the identical time, with Fabiano Caruana and Levon Aronian failing to play at their ordinary degree, which allowed them to stay on the earth prime 10 for thus a few years.

The Individuals are prone to come again stronger in subsequent editions, with chess persevering with to achieve power in Saint Louis.

Pentala Harikrishna and Fabiano Caruana drew their round-11 sport | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

India 2 v Germany / India 1 v United States

Moldova and Lithuania impress

As you might need observed within the earlier part, it was not Azerbaijan nor Poland which tied in factors with India and the US — however Moldova. The forty eighth seeds, which had just one grandmaster of their lineup, had a incredible run within the closing rounds to finish the match in sixth place with 17/22 match factors.

From rounds 7 to 11, the Moldovans beat Georgia, drew Italy, beat Romania, beat Norway (Ivan Schitco drew Magnus Carlsen on prime board) and beat England!

The strongest performer for the Jap-European nation was Dragos Ceres on board 5. The Worldwide Grasp, rated 2378, had a 2618 efficiency after amassing 5 wins, three attracts and a loss all through the occasion.

Moldova’s Vladimir Havitevici | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

Lithuania, seeded thirty fifth within the beginning rank, additionally had a powerful end. From rounds 8 to 11, they defeated Croatia, drew Germany, drew France and beat Ukraine to finish the occasion with 16/22 match factors in tenth place.

Paulius Pultinevicius had a dream match, as he completed with 8½/10 factors and a 2787 score efficiency. The 20-year-old took residence a silver medal for his particular person displaying, as he was solely out-performed by Uzbekistan’s Jakhongir Vakhidov on board 4.

Lithuania’s Valery Kazakouski | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

Moldova v England / Lithuania v Ukraine

Ukraine emerges victorious within the ladies’s part

All through the occasion, the ladies’s match had way more predictable outcomes among the many prime groups in comparison with the open part. In truth, solely two groups that arrived in Chennai as a part of the highest 10 favourites completed outdoors the highest 10 within the closing standings — Armenia (twelfth place) and France (twenty second).

Ultimately, the second seeds from Ukraine grabbed gold medals, whereas Georgia (third) and India (1st) accomplished the rostrum.

The hero for the Ukrainian group was former ladies’s world champion Anna Ushenina, who obtained 7½/9 factors on board 3. Ushenina defeated Poland’s Oliwia Kiolbasa in spherical 11, however that was not sufficient to take the person gold medal away from the Polish star — after profitable 9 video games in a row, Kiolbasa’s 9½/11 and 2565 TPR acquired her first place within the particular person standings regardless of her final-round loss.

Anna Ushenina | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

Mariya Muzychuk, additionally a former ladies’s world champion, completed the match with a win over Alina Kashlinskaya. In a pointy endgame with queens and rooks in an open place, she had a two-pawn deficit but in addition the initiative.

Because it seems, 27…Kg7 was the best way to maintain the stability right here, whereas Kashlinskaya’s 27…Kg8 didn’t 28.Qe7, getting ready a lethal e5-e6 push, additional weakening Black’s king. Seven strikes later, the Polish IM needed to resign.

Mariya’s sister, Anna, acquired a silver medal for her particular person efficiency on board 2.

Mariya Muzychuk | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

Ukraine v Poland

Georgia beats Azerbaijan, the US beats India

Whereas the Georgians but once more demonstrated their conventional power in ladies’s group competitions by beating Azerbaijan and grabbing silver medals, it was a painful closing spherical for the Indian squad. The group led by Humpy Koneru suffered its second defeat of the occasion, as they misplaced 3-1 to the US and will ‘solely’ get bronze medals in any case however dominating the occasion till spherical 9, after they misplaced to Poland.

For the Individuals, it was a case of a sluggish begin turning right into a profitable efficiency in the long run. Remarkably, Carissa Yip, who had struggled within the first 5 rounds, received her final 5 video games to greater than make up for her subpar begin.

The technique of inserting Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova on prime board ended up figuring out for group USA, because the 23-year-old of Uzbek descent, who’s the second-lowest rated participant within the group, completed undefeated with a 7/10 rating and a 2420 TPR.

Georgia’s Nana Dzagnidze | Lennart Ootes

Carissa Yip inflicted Tania Sachdev’s first loss in spherical 11 — Sachdev nonetheless acquired a bronze medal for her particular person efficiency on board 4 | Photograph: Lennart Ootes

Georgia v Azerbaijan / United States v India

Ultimate standings – Open

…188 groups

Ultimate standings – Ladies

…162 groups

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