“Once every four years the world goes to war. They call it the games.” – Advertisement for the 1970 movie, The Games, starring Ryan O’Neal
The matter of 2022 National Chess Champion Wendell Meusa’s withdrawal from the team to represent Guyana at the 44th FIDE Chess Olympiad in India and his subsequent attempt to reverse it, has been widely publicised. I was looking forward to watching him play against serious opposition at the Olympiad.
Playing top board for one’s country is no walk in the park. One famous grandmaster likened a tournament game at the level of the Olympiad to a five-hour final examination. If you win, you pass with distinction; if you draw, you are equal to your opponent’s abilities, but if you lose, you are dumped unceremoniously.