45th Chess Olympiad Day 2: Photos that tell the tale
The highest-participated event in the chess world, the 45th Chess Olympiad is packed with so many thrilling moments. Every day fans are witnessing exciting wins, tense draws, and upsetting losses. Each game leaves its mark not just for the players but for everyone watching. Yet, what truly inspires viewers are the stories behind these players! There is always something happening beyond the chessboard. We are here to share those moments with you through our lens - because every picture tells a story!
1) 'Czech' out this sweet gesture!
Arranging a big tournament is a very difficult task. Even after carefully planning everything, there might be sudden obstacles in implementing everything properly. One such obstacle was faced by the Indian Women’s team who arrived late at the venue due to unexpected transportation delays. The players arrived at the board at different times, and by then, the games had already begun. It was unusual that the Czech Women’s team chose to wait for the Indian players before starting their clocks to ensure a fair and respectful match. This gesture showed that in chess, ‘Sportsmanship’ can be even more important than ‘Time.’
2) Pookies!
This photo of IM Carissa Yip and IM Alice Lee definitely gives off "Pookie vibes"! Both are rising stars of U.S. chess—21-year-old IM Carissa Yip (2386) and 14-year-old IM Alice Lee.
Carissa Yip’s achievements:
1. Two-time U.S. Women’s Chess Champion
2. Top-rated female player in the U.S. in 2019
3. Youngest American woman to achieve the IM title
Alice Lee’s achievements:
1. Broke Carissa’s record as the youngest American woman to achieve the IM title
2. Third-youngest female in the world to achieve the IM title
3. Two-time U.S. Women’s Chess Champion
4. Three-time World Youth Champion
Their achievements are strikingly similar! They seem like best friends who inspire and motivate each other to reach new heights.
3) Overcoming hurdles
There were certain teams in the Olympiad who faced visa and travel issues and the Palestine Team was one of them. After a long battle, they finally made it to the venue to battle on the board. Chess players in Palestine have fewer opportunities, limited access to coaches, and fewer chess clubs. That’s why, competing in Olympiad is a very big opportunity for them to get international exposure.
4) Colourful attires at the Olympiad!
Apart from the colorful games, we saw many colorful attires in this Olympiad. One was the Vanuatu Team with green attire and another one was the Angolan Team. They have been participating in the Olympiad for many years. Their team won all the matches in the first round against the British Virgin Islands. Though they faced a tough challenge with three losses in Round 2, their spirit and style remain unshaken. Their rank is 10th in the African continent. Their goal is to achieve individual norms and hopefully rise in the world ranking.
5) Blood group: Chess +ve
When it comes to chess siblings, we often think of duos like Pragg-Vaishali or Judit-Susan. But not many people know that there is one family who has dedicated their life to chess – The van Forest Family! The elder brothers Jorden and Lucas are already grandmasters. Their younger sister, Machteld is now following in their footsteps.
Machteld’s achievements:
1)U-10 Dutch Champion in 2014
2)U-12 Dutch Champion in 2017
3)U-14 Dutch Champion in 2018
4) Joint third place in the Dutch Women’s Chess Championship in 2019
5) Joint third and fifth overall in the U-12 Girls World Cadets Chess Championship.
6)Youngest Dutch Women’s Champion in 2022
Machteld’s twin brother Nanne also participates in many chess tournaments. Her great-great-grandfather Arnold was a three-time Dutch Champion and so was his brother Dirk. It won’t be surprising to know that van Forest’s kids spoke ‘e4’ first and not ‘Mama’ or Dada’.
6) King Liren
A typical Ding Liren expression can leave everyone guessing. His calm and composed expression can’t tell anything about what’s going on in his mind. As the reigning World Champion with only a few months left until the next World Chess Championship match, Ding is likely keeping his strategies and thoughts well-guarded. It’s his style to always maintain a poker face even if the situation of casual or critical. His fans and opponents would never know what genius move he is preparing!
7) Unrated but Unstoppable!
She is a 59-years-old Sehba Shah, Pakistan’s Women Champion. She is leading the Pakistani Women’s Team at the Olympiad. She is suffering from progressive muscular dystrophy which has drastically affected her muscles. Even if her muscle strength is less, her tactical strength remains unaffected. Due to her condition, she requires assistance to move pieces on the board. Though she faces lot of trouble to travel to various tournaments, this year she managed to participate in the Olympiad with the help of Pakistani Chess Federation. Most importantly, she is an UNRATED player who is showing an incredible resilience!
8) Ace in his own Space
Srinath is an invaluable asset to the Indian Team. His leadership has been instrumental in securing notable victories in the past. His calm and composed nature is like a breath of fresh air in the heat of the game. It motivates the players to stay clear-headed and focus on the game confidently. He is definitely the unwavering support for the Indian players!
9) Former World Champion with the reigning Olympiad Champions
Uzbekistan performed exceptionally well in the last Olympiad and ended up winning the tournament. Fans have high expectations from them for this year’s tournament. Though the champions are smiling, I am sure they must be thinking of some strategies in their mind!
10) Cultural Mix
At the start of the round, we saw the American Team having a good ‘Rapport’ with the Hungarian player. Richard Rapport had played for Romania for several years and is back to play for Hungary again. We could see another example of good camaraderie during the Olympiad. No wonder they won their respective matches after this joyful laughter!
11) ChessBase India's favorite Commentator Duo
Would you be surprised to know that many fans are watching the Olympiad just to hear Sagar Shah and Harshit Raja’s commentary? Sometimes, our viewers love watching their banter and jokes more than the games. One such incident was seen in the picture above. Sagar and Harshit did a little dance after India beat Iceland with 4-0. If India wins gold, don't be shocked if they ditch the chessboard altogether and turn it into a full-blown dance marathon! Who knew chess commentary could have a post-game choreography?
Bonus picture for our readers!
Stay tuned for the highlights and drama from Day 3 - it’s going to be another thrilling chapter in this incredible chess saga!
