On the chess board , lies and hypocrisy do not last long -Emmanuel Lasker
Guyana has been ranked 150th out of the 179 countries which are earmarked to participate in the 2014 Norway chess Olympiad, according to FIDE, the World Chess Federation. Guyana has been listed at an average rating of 1784 as compared to Russia’s top rating of 2777. The three top participants are Russia, Ukraine and France, followed by Armenia, USA, Hungary and China. Cuba is numbered at a massive 12, above Norway, at the average rating of 2676. India is booked at 19th on the playing board, minus Vishy Anand, who is not listed as a participant. Magnus Carlsen, the world champion, is listed as playing for Norway. Carlsen and Anand are set to clash for the world championship title later in the year. England is numbered at 9.
The players for Guyana have been named by FIDE. They are Anthony Drayton , Su Hai Feng, Ronuel Greenidge, Taffin Khan and Maria Varona-Thomas. FIDE has noted that the names are not classified according to board order. No captain of the Guyana team has been named. The space for the captain’s name remains blank.
Persons from the local chess circuit, and even those persons who are not associated with chess and only read about it, have been approaching me about the Guyana chess team which is participating at Tromso. In the first instance, those persons overall, seem happy that Guyana is once again venturing forth to play chess as a group at the formidable Olympiad. I explained to them our first goal is to rule the Caribbean countries as we once did when we participated in our only two Olympiad in 1978 and 1980. Prior to those, Guyana placed second behind Cuba and ahead of the English-speaking Caribbean at the Caribbean Championships of 1975. In Tromso, I am of the opinion that we are going to do well. It would come as no surprise to me if Drayton, Taffin and Greenidge, especially Drayton, take down players rated higher than themselves.
Following queries during discussions with current and former tournament players, I transmitted an email to the President of the Guyana Chess Federation, Irshad Mohammed. I did not receive a response, so I assume that the intended recipient either did not see the contents, or perhaps he did not have the time or the opportunity to respond. Notwithstanding that, here are the contents of the said email:
“Hello Irshad
“I trust you are fine. I would appreciate your views, as the President of the GCF, on the following matters.
“1. Who is Guyana supporting for the new President of FIDE, Ilyumzhinov or Kasparov?
“2. Who has funded the Guyana team expenses to Norway, and how many team members has the sponsor/s funded?
“I am looking forward for your usual cooperation in this matter. Also, for the benefit of local chess enthusiasts, I am willing to publish the games played at the 2014 Norway Olympiad in the Sunday Stabroek.
“Thank you and good luck to the Guyana team!
“Sincerely
“Errol”
The games began yesterday, so I assume the Guyana team completed its first game. However, I did not see a media release from the Guyana Chess Federation announcing the team which departed for Norway. That notwithstanding, best wishes to Irshad Mohammed and the Guyana team.
Chess games
The following games were played in the 2014, 101st British Chess Championship that was contested in Wales. Jonathan Hawkins and David Howell tied for first place. 
Haria v Hawkins
White: Ravi Haria
Black: Jonathan Hawkins
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 c5 4. Ngf3 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Bb5 Bd7 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. Bd3 Bd6 9. O-O Qc7 10. g3 Nf6 11. f4 e5 12. fxe5 Bxe5 13. exd5 Bh3 14. Re1 O-O 15. Nc4 Bd4+ 16. Be3 Bxe3+ 17. Nxe3 cxd5 18. Bf5 Bxf5 19. Nxf5 Rab8 20. b3 Qc5+ 21. Kg2 Rfe8 22. Qd2 Ne4 23. Qd4 Qxc2+ 24. Kg1 Nf6 25. Nh6+ Kf8 26. Rxe8+ Rxe8 27. Qb4+ Re7 28. Re1 Ne4 29. Ng8 Qf2+ 30. Kh1 Nxg3+ 0-1.
Howell v Jackson
White: David Howell
Black: James P Jackson
1. g3 Nf6 2. Bg2 d5 3. Nf3 c5 4. O-O Nc6 5. d4 e6 6. c4 Be7 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. a3 Ne4 9. Qc2 Qb6 10. e3 O-O 11. Rd1 Rd8 12. b4 Be7 13. Bb2 Bf6 14. Bxf6 Nxf6 15. Nc3 dxc4 16. Nd2 Ne5 17. Nxc4 Nxc4 18. Na4 Rxd1+ 19. Rxd1 Qc7 20. Qxc4 Qe7 21. Qc5 Qe8 22. Nc3 e5 23. h3 h6 24. Qc7 Bg4 25. hxg4 Rc8 26. Qxb7 Rxc3 27. Qxa7 Qe6 28. b5 Qb3 29. Qb8+ Kh7 30. Rf1 e4 31. Qe5 Rc4 32. a4 Rxa4 33. Rc1 Rc4 34. Ra1 Ra4 35. Rc1 Rc4 36. Rxc4 Qxc4 37. b6 Qb4 38. Qf5+ Kg8 39. Qc8+ Kh7 40. b7 Qe1+ 41. Bf1 1-0.
Burnett v Howell
White: Jim Burnett
Black: David Howell
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 O-O 5. g3 c5 6. Bg2 cxd4 7. Nxd4 Qc7 8. b3 d5 9. Ndb5 Qa5 10. Bd2 dxc4 11. bxc4 Qd8 12. O-O a6 13. Na3 Nc6 14. Rb1 Nd7 15. Qc1 Nc5 16. Rd1 Bf5 17. Bh6 Bxh6 18. Rxd8 Bxc1 19. Rxf8+ Kxf8 20. Rxc1 Na5 21. Rd1 Rc8 22. e4 Be6 23. Nd5 Na4 24. Bf1 Nb2 25. Rb1 Nbxc4 26. Nxc4 Nxc4 27. Rxb7 Nd2 28. Bxa6 Rc2 29. Nb4 Rc1+ 30. Kg2 Bg4 31. Bd3 Nf3 32. Bf1 Ne1+ 33. Kg1 Nf3+ 34. Kg2 Ng5 35. h4 Bf3+ 0-1.
