2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad Spherical 2: Caruana Again In 2800 Membership, Canada Maintain Norway

That outcome noticed Caruana climb again above 2800, becoming a member of solely Carlsen and GM Hikaru Nakamura in probably the most unique membership in chess.

The Olympiad is a staff occasion, nonetheless, and Caruana made clear that the staff can purpose for nothing aside from gold.

Mike Klein: “Is it gold or bust at this Olympiad?”
Fabiano Caruana “I feel so! Principally as a result of we’ve gained gold earlier than with a really related line-up” #ChessOlympiad pic.twitter.com/TxndwTUyVx

— chess24 (@chess24com) September 12, 2024

On the time he was interviewed, he was deeply fearful for his staff. GMs Leinier Dominguez and Ray Robson had rock-solid, but additionally highly-drawish positions with the black items, whereas GM Levon Aronian was once more sacrificing materials and stepping into hassle. Caruana commented: “It’s regular to have these first-round jitters, however it appears like right now is perhaps worse, as a result of the final I noticed perhaps his place was simply dropping—I didn’t see a transfer for him!”

Aronian did Aronian issues, nonetheless, and all of it labored out ultimately, as he bamboozled FM Zhenyong Jayden Wong simply as he had one other teenage opponent the day earlier than. Issues have been by no means fairly as unhealthy as they appeared. 

Every little thing goes to plan!

After being down a bit in sport 1 and a rook in sport 2, I requested @LevAronian what he deliberate to do subsequent?

“I suppose in sport 3, a queen!” I do not assume his spouse accredited.#ChessOlympiad pic.twitter.com/q7tf9yhgsT

— Mike Klein (@ChessMike) September 12, 2024

Remarkably U.S.A. went on to win 4-0 after Robson and Dominguez’s opponents finally cracked in lengthy endgames.

Different gamers who made their debut in spherical two included Rapport, who gained a advantageous 30-move sport towards Peruvian GM Jorge Cori, and world championship challenger Gukesh, who constructed up a kingside assault after which pounced on a mistake by Icelandic GM Vignir Vatnar Stefansson. 

Gukesh’s colleagues GMs Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Pentala Harikrishna all gained as India have been one in every of simply three groups—the others are Slovenia and Georgia—to attain an ideal 8/8 within the first two rounds.

China would even have reached 8/8 if not for Ding being held to a draw by Chilean GM Cristobal Henriquez Villagra, who made no mistake, besides maybe for turning up 5 minutes late to the beginning of the sport. Henriquez known as enjoying the world champion and making a draw, “one of the vital lovely days of my chess profession.”

Jugar con el campeón del mundo es lindo, empatar con él aún más.
Uno de los días más lindos de mi carrera ajedrecística.
Agradecido por todos los mensajitos y buenas vibras que me han enviado 🥰

Feliz de representar a @fintual pic.twitter.com/gJEGGh5mUm

— Cristobal Henriquez (@GM_Henriquez) September 12, 2024

One participant who nonetheless hasn’t begun his Olympiad marketing campaign is Carlsen, although it turned out the rationale wasn’t that he was busy enjoying a secret match with Nakamura!

This picture is from the https://t.co/zCneEytCxe website. Sure, it is what you imagine. @MagnusCarlsen and I are enjoying a personal classical match. If the chess neighborhood or some beneficiant billionaire can give you $1M US we’ll break up the funds and launch the PGNs. Any takers? pic.twitter.com/7i9cHOajkX

— Hikaru Nakamura (@GMHikaru) September 12, 2024

Nonetheless, the absence would have penalties, since his alternative, GM Johan-Sebastian Christiansen, who had gained a terrific sport in spherical one, most likely requested himself “what would Magnus do?” when he was provided a really early probability to make a draw with Black.

Johan-Sebastian Christiansen performed a terrific attacking sport yesterday — right now his dilemma is whether or not to make a 12-move draw with Black by repeating strikes a ultimate time! https://t.co/JzmjIKCKCG#ChessOlympiad pic.twitter.com/VrssKO9iUj

— chess24 (@chess24com) September 12, 2024

He might have stopped the clocks and advised the arbiter he wished to play 12…Qa6 with a draw by three-fold repetition, however as a substitute he discovered the power to play 12…e5!?. 

An extended, intriguing sport stuffed with twists and turns adopted, however it was Canadian GM Shawn Rodrigue-Lemieux who had all of the enjoyable. One mistake (63…Qe5+ as a substitute of 63…Qe7+) and a drawn queen endgame was profitable, with Rodrigue-Lemieux occurring to create a brand new queen. Christiansen tried each final trick, however it wasn’t sufficient as he sank to a loss in 103 strikes!

That sport meant that the match led to a 2-2 draw in any case 4 video games have been decisive.

To search out extra underdogs holding favorites to attracts you wanted to scroll down one other 13 matches, to the place Mongolia (63rd seed) drew 2-2 with the Czech Republic (nineteenth seed), Eire (sixty fourth seed) drew with Israel (twentieth), and Tajikistan (87th seed) drew with Greece (twenty third). A lot of the underdogs have been thrilled with tying their matches…

Unbelievable outcome for our open staff (seeded sixty fourth) as they draw with the twentieth seeded staff! Tom was participant of the day as he produced a close to good sport to defeat 2630 rated GM Nabaty whereas Tarun produced a shocking comeback to defeat 2543 rated GM Gorshtein. Greece up tomorrow 🇬🇷 pic.twitter.com/lbK1w2eryY

— Irish Chess Union (@IrishChessUnion) September 12, 2024

…however not all. Mongolian IM Amilal Munkhdalai made a draw towards Czech IM Jan Vykouk, however he appears to be profitable within the ultimate place, if the strikes have been transmitted precisely. 

It is solely doable to scratch the floor of all of the video games, however one pleasure is to see 55-year-old Vasyl Ivanchuk, a candidate for the strongest participant by no means to develop into world champion, again in motion. 

Chess legend Vasyl Ivanchuk is totally profitable if he does not transfer the attacked rook on h5 however performs 24…Bxf5! now! https://t.co/bTyDbASUsF #ChessOlympiad pic.twitter.com/F9TudYwJBz

— chess24 (@chess24com) September 12, 2024

Ivanchuk, who performed his first Olympiad in 1988, discovered the profitable transfer and reached 2/2. Requested why he favored Olympiads he replied, “I merely prefer to play chess,” earlier than including: “I symbolize my nation, particularly now in a tough scenario. We’ll attempt to struggle and present all the most effective.”

The chess motion continues Friday, with the round-three pairings which means the competitors once more will get more durable for the highest groups.

2024 Chess Olympiad Spherical 3 Staff Pairings: Open (High 15)

Ladies’s Part: Georgia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan Drop Particular person Upsets En Route To Victory

See full outcomes right here

The closest match on the highest boards was Ukraine-Lithuania, which ended 2.5-1.5. WFM Gabija Simkunaite (2005) drew WGM Evgeniya Doluhanova (2304) on board 4, whereas Martynkova upset Osmak on board one. After preventing again from a a lot worse place earlier, Martynkova navigated the tactical fireworks beginning with 22.Bg4! higher than her opponent.

Georgia, the second seed within the event, suffered one loss on their option to defeating Montenegro although they handily completed the match with a 3-0 rating. Enjoying the black aspect on board 4, WFM Nikolina Koljevic (2030) defeated the almost-300-points-higher-rated IM Melia Salome (2293) after the latter made a space-gaining pawn push within the opening that she’d rapidly remorse:

The next groups from the highest 15 matches completed with 4-0 sweeps: Poland, China, Spain, and Armenia. A handful of favourite groups dropped a half-point on their approach: India profitable towards Czech Republic, Hungary towards Ecuador, the U.S. towards the Philippines, Bulgaria towards Egypt, and France towards Luxembourg.

As for one more shut match, Finland misplaced 2.5-1.5 towards Kazakstan, incomes a full level when Lauri Bederdin (2065) upset IM Alua Nurman (2324) in a mutual time scramble, the place the latter participant utterly misplaced management in what was as soon as a greater place. On board one, IM Anastasia Nazarova (2265) held IM Bibisara Assaubayeva (2482) to a draw.