There was an air of excited anticipation when the 2022 Guyana Chess Olympiad teams were announced last Sunday at the Park Vue Hotel as part of an awards presentation ceremony. There were two reasons why: First because the Olympiad is being held in Chennai, India, the land of its birth, and second, because our representatives will experience international competition.
The continent of Asia seldom gets the opportunity to host a Chess Olympiad. Before now, only the United Arab Emirates (1986) and the Philippines (1992) were hosts to Chess Olympiads among Asian countries. Closer to home, Cuba hosted the Olympiad in 1966 and Argentina in 1939 and 1978. For the most part, Olympiads are hosted by European nations.
India is a stalwart chess nation at present. It has a former world champion in Viswanathan Anand and an enviable number of masters, international masters and grandmasters. Anand was born and grew up in Chennai.
Meanwhile, over 2,000 players from approximately 170 countries are expected to be in attendance at this year’s Olympiad. Guyana has improved its status since it returned to the Olympiad in 2014 in Norway, with players acquiring the titles of FIDE master and candidate master, which is remarkable considering the opposition they confronted. The Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) did not mount a women’s team in 2014 simply because it could not. However, Guyana was represented in women’s chess at the Olympiads in 2016 and 2018. Its 2022 women’s team is the strongest thus far collectively. It is a young team, with the oldest player being 21 years old. A reasonable effort is expected especially from Lam and Shariff based on their performances at home.
Olympiad players were asked to sign a Code of Conduct before being confirmed to travel to India. In part, the code specifies that they should be punctual for all ceremonies, dress appropriately and conduct themselves in a manner befitting that of an ambassador for Guyana and the GCF. In conclusion, I give three cheers for the men and four for the women!
Chess game
White: Taffin Khan
Black: Anthony Drayton
Event: 2022 National Chess Championship, National Stadium, Providence, Guyana
Type of Game: Queen Pawn Opening
1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. e3 c5 4. dxc5 Nc6 5. c3 a5 6. Bb5 Bg4 7. Qa4 Bxf3 8. Bxc6+ bxc6
9. Qxc6+ Nd7 10. gxf3 Rc8 11. Qxd5 Rxc5 12. Qd3 Qa8 13. Nd2 Rd5 14. Qe4 Nc5 15. Qc4 Nd3+ 16. Ke2 e6 17. Rd1 Be7 18. Qa4+ Kf8 19. Nc4 Qd8 20. Qc2 Nxf2 21. Rxd5 Qxd5
22. Kxf2 Qxc4 23. e4 Qc7 24. Kg2 h5 25. Be3 h4 26. Kh1 h3 27. Qd2 Rh5 28. Rd1 f5
29. Bf4 e5 30. Be3 fxe4 31. fxe4 Qc4 32. Qd3 Qxa2 33. Rf1+ Bf6 34. Qd8+ Kf7 35. Qd7+ Kg6 36. Qe8+ Qf7 37. Rg1+ Bg5 38. Rxg5+ Rxg5 39. Qxf7+ Kxf7 40. Bxg5 a4 41. Kg1 Black resigns. 1-0.
