The Jamaican men probably played their best match to date to register a 4-0 thumping of Afghanistan in round 13 action yesterday in the 36th Chess Olympiad in Calvia, Mallorca (Spain) to move to 97th position in a field of 129 teams. Victories by national masters Shane Matthews, Duane Rowe, Russel Porter and Ras Malaku Lorne on boards 1 - 4, respectively, propelled the "Reggae Chess Ambassadors" to 23 1/2 points, the same as their final points tally from the last Olympiad in Bled, Slovenia in 2002. The Hotel Acorn Pionero rocked with celebration late in the night as there were tales of the Jamaican men sending the Taliban scampering!

Jamaica have the chance to surpass their Bled total when they face Iraq (on 24 points) in the fourteenth and final round. The team will remain unchanged to face the Iraqis who are stronger on paper than the Jamaicans and with their country in turmoil in the Middle East will doubtlessly be coming to wage no less deadly a war on the chessic battlefields!

Jamaica´s caribbean brothers Barbados had  a 3-1 win over Panama to move to 24.5 points and 90th position. In the final round they will face Malaysia also on 24.5. Trinidad & Tobago had a good 2.5-1.5 win over Cyprus and moved to 23 points and 101st position. They next face a tough Morocco team (on 23.5) boasting GM Hichem Hamdouchi (GM Vishy Anand look-alike) on board 1.

UKRAINE WRAP UP FIRST TITLE!

Ukraine rested GM Vassily Ivanchuk, who had reeled off 12 straight games, and played to four uneventful draws against Georgia as the warriors from Kiev moved to 36.5 points which essentially will guarantee them the title. Their final round opponents are France (in joint 10th on 30.5) points and still in with a slim chance of winning a medal depending on what happens in other matches. This fact will ensure that there will not be four short draws as often happens in the final round when the winner is basically already decided.

In clear second is Russia on 33.5 points after defeating Cuba 2.5-1.5, GM Peter Svidler having the sole win of the match by overcoming GM Lazaro Bruzon on board 1. The defending champions, now striving to win at least the silver medals and salvage some pride, will next face the Chinese men who are tied with France on 30.5 points. Armenia, in clear third on 33 points, battle Georgia who are 9th on 31 points the same as Bulgaria (8th) who tackle India, 5th on 31.5. Israel are 4th on 32.5 and will come up against Cuba, 7th on 31.5 points.The plot thickens as the USA, in 6th on 31.5, face Norway who are 20th on 30 points.

CHINESE WOMEN CLEAR VICTORS

As was expected China, the defending womens´champions, comfortably retained their title with a round to spare. In the 13th round WGM Zhao Xue had the sole win of the encounter as they beat India 2-1 to move to an unassailable 29 points.

The battle for the other medals is very tight as Russia beat Georgia 2-1 to climb to 25.5 points the same as USA who could only draw with France 1.5-1.5 although GM Zsuzsa Polgar beat IM Almira Skripchenko on board 1. France saved the match when IM Marie Sebag beat IM Irina Krush on board 2.

The Americans will face Vietnam (22) in the final round while the Russians will be challenged by France who are in 5th position on 24.5 points and still in with a chance to medal. Many-time champions Georgia lie in fourth on 25 points and are also in the medal-hunt. They face Ukraine (23) next. A truly enthralling finale is in store.

29th October, 2004
Ian Wilkinson
Captain, Jamaica
Press Centre
Grand Casino Mallorca
Calvia, Mallorca
Spain