ROLLER COASTER RIDE

JAMAICA AT THE 2002 CHESS OLYMPIAD

ROUND SEVEN REPORT

After the 7-0 euphoria of the 6th round, Jamaica's teams were brought soundly down to earth in the 7th round, both suffering defeats. This is the nature of the chess olympiad, a fourteen-round tournament; up one day, down the next - a veritable roller coaster ride.

WOMEN

JAMAICA

After consecutive victories, Jamaica's women's team encountered Malaysia, a team of composed, determined and patient women. The girls from Kuala Lumpur, aided and abetted by blunders by their West Indian counterparts, won 3-0. On board one, Maria Palmer chose the Petroff defence against Zulaikha Siti and obtained the much better position. Palmer, however, loosened her adversary's shackles with 28...b5 ?!, lost a piece after blundering with 35...Bf6 ?? and resigned twelve moves later in a hopeless position.

On board two, Deborah Richards, with the White pieces, played her pet English opening and also achieved a strong position in a Rook ending. After any winning chances had evaporated, however, she missed a couple of opportunities to draw the game and resigned after seventy moves.

On board three Hui Zhu faced the four knights' variation of the Scotch, which she also plays as White, but lost a piece after she blundered with 12...Bg4 ?? and surrendered after thirty-three moves.

Jamaica is now in 76th position out of 94 teams.

In round eight Jamaica will face an unpredictable Puerto Rico, both teams being on 7.5 points.

In other matches, all three games between Barbados and Zimbabwe were drawn in match 41. Nathali Greenidge, playing the Scotch on board one, got a solid advantage in the opening against Abigail Mangarai but failed to convert. The "Bajan princesses" are now in 84th position.

Cuba's women kept the caribbean flag aloft with a 2.5 - 0.5 win over Slovenia-C in match 21.

TOP BOARD CLASH.

In the top board clash Georgia and Russia drew 1.5 - 1.5 On board one the former world women's champion Georgian GM Maia Chiburdanidze beat WGM Ekaterina Kovalevskaya and on board three WGM Alexandra Kosteniuk returned the compliment by out-classing WGM Nino Khurtsidze. WGM Svetlana Matveeva and WGM Nana Ioseliani drew on board two.

In match two China had a convincing 3-0 win over France. On board one, world champion GM Zhu Chen played excellent chess to defeat the radiant WGM Almira Skripchenko-Lautier to set the example for her teammates.

The USA remained in the hunt for the top spot by blanking Kazakhstan 3-0 in match 4.

Georgia leads the standings with 16.5 points ahead of China on 16. Russia and the USA follow closely with 15 with Romania in fifth position on 14.5.

MEN

JAMAICA

A solid Paraguay team comfortably beat Jamaica 3-1. On board one FM Warren Elliott played well but failed to find a couple of good continuations and lost to GM Zenon Ocampos Franco's English opening.

THE WARMING MAGICIAN

On board two NM Shane Matthews showed that he was warming up after his sluggish start by refuting FM Eduardo Peralta's Sicilian defence to garner Jamaica's only point.

On board three NM Duane Rowe missed a possible win against FM Jorge Harrison Sosa and lost in 37 moves.

On board four CM Mark Smith played the "Sicilian Ruy Lopez" against FM Ricardo Kropff, declined a chance to draw with a repetition of moves, pressed for a win and lost.

Barbados, behind victories from FM Ricardo Szmetan on board one and Askari Elson on board three, respectively, beat Jersey 2.5 - 1.5.

WEST INDIAN CLASH - PART DEUX

In round eight, one of the matches of great interest will see Barbados and Jamaica "pawning off" against each other. Barbados earlier faced Trinidad and drew 2-2. The Jamaicans, upon being apprised of their opponents for the next round, started intense preparations, determined not to lose the tie.

Trinidad and Tobago beat Palestine 2.5 - 1.5 with Ravishen Singh's victory on board four over Mahamad Mawed being the sole win of the tie.

Zambia lost 1-3 to a strong Iraqi team, IM Amon Simutowe remaining unbeaten in the tournament after drawing on board one with IM Aziz Ahmad Jwad.

"MORE FIRE" FROM GWAZE

The incredible run of Zimbabwean IM Robert Gwaze continued as Zimbabwe beat Surinam 3.5 - 0.5. Playing on board one, Gwaze opted for the Petroff/Russian defence and easily saw off Dewperkash Gajadin. He has now won seven straight games for a 100% record as he goes in search of the gold medal. He is likely to be rested for the eighth round. 

THE RETURN OF THE BIG "K",  A SUPER STAR'S ENTRANCE

Garry Kasparov returned to the top board for Russia and defeated the ultra-strong GM Michal Krasenkow on board one as Russia beat Poland 3-1 to retain the lead. Kasparov created a stir as with scores of reporters waiting, all the other players present and the clocks and all the games having been started, he was nowhere in sight. He appeared about five minutes later to a "restrained buzz", smiled and shook his opponent's hand before playing 1.e4. Any hope that the Polish number one would engage in a Sveshnikov debate was dashed as he played 1...e5 and a Ruy Lopez ensued.

On board three 1999 Fide World champion GM Alexander Khalifman beat IM Kamil Miton to record the only other victory of the tie.

The Ukraine rested Fide world champion Ruslan Ponomariov and lost to Georgia 1.5-2.5. GM Vassily Ivanchuk and the veteran GM Zurab Azmaiparashvili drew on board one. On board four, GM Baadur Jobava won the only game of the match as he recorded a victory over GM Valeriy Neverov.

England rested GM Michael Adams and paid the penalty as the Netherlands won 3-1, GM Ivan Sokolov beating GM Nigel Short on board one.

Hungary continued its good progress by defeating the hosts Slovenia-A 3.5-0.5 with GM Peter Leko beating GM Alexander Beliavsky on board one. GM Judit Polgar was rested.

RUSSIA COMFORTABLY AHEAD

Russia leads the standings with 21.5 points ahead of Romania, Hungary, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovakia and the Netherlands all of whom are on 19 points.

SLOVENIAN TIDBIT: The largest part of Slovenian territory is taken up by the Alps where 47.3% of the population lives.

Ian Wilkinson

Jamaican Team Captain

Press Centre,

Festivalna Dvorana

Bled, Slovenia