Americn chess master I A Horowitz, commenting on Bobby Fischer’s self-confidence in the New York Times prior to the Spassky-Fischer world championship chess match in 1972, was quoted as saying: “..confidence wins games. Allied to the will to win, it sparks the mental ignition, brings forth ideas, dispels doubts, and promotes clear thinking.”
Local chess players, from the highest category that we have produced to the beginners, have an opinion as to what our chances are at the 2022 Chess Olympiad in India later this month.
I would say the Guyana team is confident of placing higher than it did in 2018, which was the last face-to-face Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia.
In 2018, Guyana was ranked 150 from a total of 185 countries. In the final count, Guyana placed 138th from 185 countries. The Guyana Chess Federation’s (GCF) target for this Olympiad is 120th, even if there is an increase in participating nations.
Achieving a placement of 120 among participating nations at the Olympiad is a gruelling task but not an improbable one, according to Loris Nathoo who has overall responsibility for the order and arithmetic of the GCF in addition to being its most capable fundraiser. Trinidad and Tobago has the highest rank in the World Chess Federation (FIDE), for Caribbean nations, with the exception of Cuba. Trinidad is ranked 93rd in the world, which allows that country to sit within the top half of the chess playing world.
In addition to improving Guyana’s rank in FIDE, the GCF is looking to obtain additional titles for its players at the Olympiad. The two reserve players, Ethan Lee and Anaya Lall, should be given an opportunity to qualify for international chess titles. If a title is based on winning 50% of the games one contests, say six games, Lee and Lall should be given at least six games each to make them eligible for a title.
The Guyana team captain will make that decision when the time is appropriate, taking into consideration the immediate results of the other participants. For example, if a player loses consistently during his or her 11 games, the reserve may have to be called upon to act as a stabilising force temporarily. The accumulation of titles and the improvement of our rank within FIDE may be our most essential undertaking at this Olympiad.
Chess Game
White: Ding Liren
Black: Hikaru Nakamura
Event: 2022 FIDE Candidates Tournament, Madrid, Spain, July 4
Type of Game: Tarrasch Defence: Symmetrical Variation
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c5 5. e3 Nc6 6. a3 dxc4 7. Bxc4 a6 8. Bd3 b5 9. dxc5 Bxc5 10. b4 Be7 11. O-O Bb7 12. Bb2 O-O 13. Ne4 Nxe4 14. Bxe4 f5 15. Bb1 Qxd1 16. Rxd1 Rfd8 17. Ba2 Kf7 18. h4 h6 19. Rdc1 Bd6 20. Rc2 Ne7 21. Nd4 Bd5 22. Bxd5 Nxd5 23. Rac1 Rd7 24. Nb3 Be7 25. h5 Bf6 26. Bd4 e5 27. Bc5 Bd8 28. Rd2 Nf6 29. Rxd7+ Nxd7 30. Rd1 Nf6
31. Bd6 Ng4 32. Bc5 Bh4 33. Rd7+ Kg8 34. g3 Bg5 35. Kf1 Bd8 36. Rb7 f4 37. gxf4 exf4
38. e4 Bf6 39. Nd4 Re8 40. Kg2 Ne5 41. Nf5 f3+ 42. Kg3 Nc4 43. Be7 Bb2 44. Kxf3 Bxa3
45. Kg3 Ne5 46. Bc5 Nf7 47. f3 Bc1 48. Ra7 Bd2 49. Rxa6 Be1+ 50. Kg2 Bc3 51. Ra7 Ng5
52. Ne7+ Kh8 53. Ng6+ Kg8 54. Ne7+ Kh8 55. Nd5 Bb2 56. Ra2 Bc1 57. Rc2 Ba3 58. Be3. 1-0. Black resigns.
