The 42nd Baku Chess Olympiad starts today in Baku. Please click HERE for the official web link. Sadly, I won’t be able to follow the complete tournament this year!
Azerbaijan parks – photo credit: official site of Baku Chess Olympiad
Olympiad Schedule
| Date | Time | Event |
| 1 Sept | 18:30/20:30 | Opening, Captains meet |
| 2 Sept | 15:00 | Round 1 |
| 3 Sept | 15:00 | Round 2 |
| 4 Sept | 15:00 | Round 3 |
| 5 Sept | 15:00 | Round 4 |
| 6 Sept | 15:00/22:00 | Round 5/Bermuda Party |
| 7 Sept | – | Day Off |
| 8 Sept | 15:00 | Round 6 |
| 9 Sept | 15:00 | Round 7 |
| 10 Sept | 15:00 | Round 8 |
| 11 Sept | 15:00 | Round 9 |
| 12 Sept | 15:00 | Round 10 |
| 13 Sept | 11:00
19:30 |
Round 11
Closing Ceremony |
| 14 Sept | All day | Departure day |
The top seeds at the Olympiad
Russia
Players: Vladimir Kramnik, Sergey Karjakin, Alexander Grischuk, Evgeny Tomashevsky, Ian Nepomniachtchi
USA
Players: Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, Wesley So, Ray Robson, Sam Shankland
China
Players: Wang Yue, Li Chao, Ding Liren, Yu Yangyi, Wei Yi
Azerbaijan
Players: Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Teimour Radjabov, Eltaj Safarli, Rauf Mamedov, Arkadij Naiditsch
Ukraine
Players: Pavel Eljanov, Ruslan Ponomariov, Yury Kryvoruchko, Anton Korobov, Andrei Volokitin
South African players in the Women’s team:
Captain: Dalpat Winston
WIM Frick Denise
WIM Laubscher Anzel
WIM February Jesse Nikki
WCM Fisher Michelle M
WFM Van Niekerk Lauren
Players in the Open section
Captain: CM Bouah Lyndon 2115
GM Solomon Kenny 2380
IM Cawdery Daniel 2416
IM Kobese Watu 2350
IM Van den Heever Donovan 2247
FM Klaasen Calvin Jong 2177
Chessalee 