Next-Crop Team USA Kicks off 2021 Online Olympiad With Perfect Start

The US Chess national team began FIDE’s 2021 Online Olympiad with a perfect 3-0 start on Wednesday, scoring wins over Canada, Brazil and the Netherlands in the divisional first round.

The International Chess Federation’s global team event, held bi-annually since 1927 though back for the second year in the digital space after the COVID pandemic pushed it online in 2020, began August 20 with over 150 participating nations and has since been whittling down teams through several qualifying divisional tiers.

Each nation's 6-player, mix-gendered team is formed using a minimum three female players and two U20 junior players, all playing rapid games of 15-minutes with a 5-second per-move increment on the servers of Chess.com, which has partnered with FIDE for the second year. Since August the Olympiad has progressed through three divisional stages, with the U.S. team joining Wednesday as one of 40 federations, including 2020 winners India and Russia, seeded into the Top-tier division. Four pools of 10 teams now play a round-robin of three matches per day from September 8-10, with the top-two teams from each pool advancing to knockout playoffs beginning September 13. Games begin at 1:00 p.m. eastern and may be viewed on Chess.com's Events Page or the official FIDE Olympiad website.

The 2021 Online Olympiad’s unique lineup format, combined with a busy summer schedule, has provided Team USA with a healthy mix of fresh talent and its veteran guard. With US Chess’ top-five rated GMs currently occupied by the Saint Louis Chess Club’s 9LX event this week, only three players carry over from last year’s Online Olympiad team: GM Jeffery Xiong, who graduates to this year’s top board from last year’s U20 junior board; GM Ray Robson and IM Anna Zatonskih.

[pgn][Event "FIDE Online Chess Olympiad Division 1 Po"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2021.09.08"] [Round "3"] [White "Van den Doel, Erik"] [Black "Robson, Ray"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "2515"] [BlackElo "2605"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 4.1 (2s)"] [PlyCount "122"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] {[%evp 9,122,-15,-3,-10,-7,-13,-13,-13,26,22,17,15,13,0,19,-13,-13,-83,-36,-96, -94,-88,-88,-98,-93,-100,-96,-94,-89,-96,-90,-91,-91,-102,-102,-105,-92,-91, -96,-96,-95,-137,-137,-144,-96,-96,-102,-117,-126,-126,-117,-117,-117,-137,-55, -96,-79,-83,-68,-111,-108,-159,-151,-151,-151,-186,-127,-171,-171,-171,-159, -160,-160,-143,-160,-214,-199,-234,-220,-233,-233,-276,-249,-288,-286,-328, -327,-328,-329,-328,-328,-500,-500,-500,-498,-500,-500,-498,-500,-556,-556, -564,-554,-560,-554,-553,-553,-566,-553,-550,-545,-657,-657,-657,-657]} 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d5 3. Bf4 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. Nbd2 Qb6 {[%cal Rc5d4]} 6. dxc5 {D02: 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 sidelines, including 2...Nf6 3 g3 and 2...Nf6 3 Bf4.} Qxb2 7. Rb1 Qc3 8. Bb5 {The position is equal.} g6 9. O-O Bg7 10. Nb3 {Threatens to win with e4!} O-O 11. Qd3 $146 ({Predecessor:} 11. Bxc6 bxc6 12. Be5 Qc4 13. Nfd4 Bd7 14. Qd3 Ne4 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. Qxc4 dxc4 17. Na5 {1/2-1/2 (33) Carlsen,M (2863)-Ding,L (2791) chess24.com INT 2020}) 11... Ne4 12. Qxd5 Bf5 13. Nbd4 { [%eval -83,13]} (13. Bxc6 $11 {[%eval -13,16]} bxc6 14. Qxc6) 13... Rfd8 { [%eval -36,15]} (13... Rad8 $17 {[%eval -83,13]} 14. Qb3 Qxc5) 14. Qc4 { [%eval -96,15]} (14. Qb3 $15 {[%eval -36,15]}) 14... Nxd4 15. exd4 Bxd4 16. Nxd4 Rxd4 17. Qxc3 Nxc3 18. Be3 Rdd8 19. Rb3 Nxb5 ({And not} 19... Nxa2 20. Bc4 $14) 20. Rxb5 Rd7 21. Rfb1 {[#]} Be4 ({Much weaker is} 21... Rad8 $6 22. f3 $11 ) 22. R5b4 Bc6 23. Rd4 Rxd4 24. Bxd4 $17 {[%mdl 4096] Endgame KRB-KRB} Rd8 25. c3 {[%eval -137,19]} ({White should try} 25. Be3 {[%eval -95,17]}) 25... f6 26. f4 {[#]} Kf7 {[%eval -96,17]} (26... e5 $142 $1 {[%eval -144,19][%cal Re5d4]} 27. fxe5 fxe5) 27. Kf2 Rd5 28. Rb2 g5 29. fxg5 Rxg5 30. g3 Rh5 31. Ke1 Rg5 { [%eval -55,17]} (31... Rh3 $17 {[%eval -137,17]} 32. Bg1 h5) 32. Be3 {[%eval -96,18]} (32. Kf2 $1 $15 {[%eval -55,17] was preferrable.}) 32... Re5 33. Kd2 a5 34. Ke2 {[%eval -111,17]} (34. c4 $15 {[%eval -68,18]}) 34... Re4 35. Rd2 { [%eval -159,18]} (35. Kd3 $142 {[%eval -108,17]}) 35... Bb5+ 36. Kf2 Ra4 37. Rb2 Bc6 {[%eval -127,17]} (37... Bc4 $19 {[%eval -186,19]} 38. Rxb7 Rxa2+ 39. Kg1 a4) 38. Ke2 {[%eval -171,16]} (38. Bd2 $17 {[%eval -127,17] was called for. }) 38... Bd5 $19 39. Kd3 Bc4+ 40. Kc2 Rxa2 41. Rxa2 Bxa2 $17 {KB-KB} 42. Kd3 { [%eval -214,21]} (42. c6 $17 {[%eval -160,20]} bxc6 43. Kb2) 42... Bd5 $19 43. c4 Bc6 44. Bd2 a4 45. Bc1 Kg6 46. Ke3 Kf5 47. Bb2 Kg4 48. Kf2 Kh3 49. Kg1 h5 50. Bc3 {[%eval -500,18]} (50. Bc1 $142 {[%eval -328,24]}) 50... a3 {[%cal Ba4a3,Ba3a2][%mdl 32] Black is clearly winning.} 51. Bb4 a2 52. Bc3 Bd7 53. Bb2 Be6 54. Bc3 Bxc4 55. Bb2 Bd5 56. Bc3 Bc6 57. Bb2 Be8 58. Bc3 Bf7 59. Bb2 h4 60. Kf2 Kxh2 61. gxh4 Kh3 0-1 [/pgn]

Joining for their first online foray are previous U.S. Women Olympians GM Irina Krush and IM Nazi Paikidze, as well as GM Dariusz Swiercz, who performed admirably as top board for the U.S. in the 2019 World Team Championship and is fresh off some literal world-class experience as a participant in the recent 2021 Sinquefield Cup.

Making their debut on the US Chess national team are junior players GM Awonder Liang and FM Thalia Cervantes, who kicked off their rookie global event about as well as could be hoped. On Wednesday Liang, the World’s No. 20 ranked Junior according to FIDE, helped Team USA to its perfect start by scoring 3/3 including two wins as Black. Cervantes, who has climbed into FIDE’s top-100 Girls and ranks No. 12 for US Chess females, scored 2.5/3 including this win as Black in an Open Najdorf Sicilian over Canadian WIM Svitlana Demchenko.

Photo: Austin Fuller

WIM Thalia Cervantes in the 2019 U.S. Junior Girls Championship. // photo Saint Louis Chess Club

[pgn][Event "FIDE Online Chess Olympiad Division 1 Po"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2021.09.08"] [Round "1"] [White "Demchenko, Svitlana"] [Black "Cervantes Landeiro, Thalia"] [Result "0-1"] [WhiteElo "1552"] [BlackElo "1936"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 4.1 (2s)"] [PlyCount "88"] [EventDate "2021.??.??"] {[%evp 11,87,23,25,27,27,21,23,8,-5,-5,30,25,30,30,59,-11,15,40,65,63,63,54, 123,110,272,250,271,110,122,85,156,22,22,25,20,15,19,13,13,-142,-33,-78,-20, -95,-95,-98,-90,-94,-45,-92,-92,-205,-98,-114,-104,-135,-17,-782,0,-81,17,-132, -68,-200,-94,-88,-94,-198,-203,-289,-277,-279,-279,-29995,-29996,-29996,-29997, -29999]} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3 e5 7. Nf3 { B91: Sicilian Najdorf: 6 g3.} Be7 8. Bg2 h6 9. h3 {White has an edge.} Be6 10. Be3 Nbd7 $146 ({Predecessor:} 10... b5 11. Nd5 Nxd5 12. exd5 Bf5 13. Nxe5 dxe5 14. d6 e4 15. dxe7 Qxe7 16. Qd5 Qb4+ {1/2-1/2 (54) Sangsongfah,C (1343) -Havelka,J (1774) Mlada Boleslav 2013}) 11. Nh4 Nc5 12. Nf5 O-O 13. g4 { [%eval -11,13]} (13. O-O $14 {[%eval 59,14]}) 13... Rc8 14. h4 d5 {Threatens to win with ...d4.} 15. Nxe7+ Qxe7 16. Nxd5 Bxd5 {[%eval 123,13]} (16... Nxd5 $14 {[%eval 54,15]} 17. exd5 Rfd8) 17. exd5 $16 Ne8 $2 {[%eval 272,12]} (17... Nce4 $16 {[%eval 110,13] is a better defense.}) 18. g5 $18 f5 19. gxf6 { [%eval 110,15]} (19. gxh6 $18 {[%eval 271,11]} f4 20. Bd2) 19... Nxf6 $16 20. d6 Qf7 21. Qe2 {[%eval 22,14]} ({White should try} 21. Rg1 $1 $16 {[%eval 156, 13]}) 21... Rfd8 $1 $11 22. Rd1 Qxa2 23. Rg1 Kh8 24. Bh3 Rc6 {[#]} 25. d7 { [%eval -142,13]} (25. Bxh6 $1 $11 {[%eval 13,15]} gxh6 26. Qe3) 25... Qf7 { [%eval -33,13]} ({Much weaker is} 25... Ncxd7 $6 26. c3 $11) ({Better is} 25... Qxb2 $17 {[%eval -142,13]} 26. Bf5 Ne6) 26. Qf3 {[%eval -78,13]} (26. Bxc5 $15 {[%eval -33,13] deserves consideration.} Rxc5 27. Rg3) 26... Ne6 {[%eval -20, 14]} (26... Ncxd7 $17 {[%eval -78,13]} 27. c3 Rf8) 27. Bf5 {[%eval -95,15]} ( 27. Qf5 $11 {[%eval -20,14] remains equal.}) 27... Rxd7 $17 28. Rxd7 Nxd7 29. Qg4 Ndf8 {[%eval -45,14]} ({Black should play} 29... Nf6 $17 {[%eval -94,16]} 30. Qg6 Qf8) 30. h5 {[%eval -92,14]} (30. Be4 $15 {[%eval -45,14]} Rc4 31. f3) 30... Nf4 31. c3 {[%eval -205,15]} (31. Be4 $17 {[%eval -92,14]} Rc7 32. Bxf4 exf4 33. Qf5) 31... Rf6 {[%eval -98,16]} ({Resist} 31... Nxh5 32. Be4 $17) ( 31... Rc4 $19 {[%eval -205,15]} 32. Bc2 Nd3+ $1 {[%mdl 576] Discovered Attack} 33. Bxd3 Rxg4 34. Rxg4 b5) 32. Be4 Nxh5 33. Qc8 Nf4 {[%eval -17,13]} (33... Qa2 $1 $17 {[%eval -135,15][%cal Ra2a1] Hoping for ...Qa1+.} 34. Bc1 Qa1) 34. Bc5 $2 {[%eval -782,13][%mdl 8192] [#]} (34. Qxb7 $11 {[%eval -17,13]} Qxb7 35. Bxb7) 34... N4e6 $2 {[%eval 0,15]} (34... Qc4 $1 $19 {[%eval -782,13][%csl Gf4] [%cal Rc4e2]} 35. Kd2 Qxe4) 35. Be3 {[%eval -81,15]} (35. Bd5 $1 $11 {[%eval 0, 15]}) 35... Qc7 {[%eval 17,15]} (35... b5 $17 {[%eval -81,15]} 36. Qb7 Qxb7 37. Bxb7 Nd8) 36. Qe8 {[%eval -132,15]} (36. Qxc7 $11 {[%eval 17,15] keeps the balance.} Nxc7 37. Bxb7) 36... Qd8 {[%eval -68,16]} (36... Nf4 $17 {[%eval -132,15] Strongly threatening ...Qc4.} 37. Bxf4 Rxf4) 37. Qh5 {[%eval -200,13]} (37. Qxd8 $15 {[%eval -68,16]} Nxd8 38. Ke2) 37... Qe7 {[%eval -94,13]} (37... Nf4 $19 {[%eval -200,13] has better winning chances.} 38. Bxf4 exf4) 38. Qxe5 Nd7 $36 {[%mdl 2048] Black is in control.} 39. Qh5 {[%eval -198,13] [#]} (39. Qd5 $17 {[%eval -94,15] was worth a try.}) 39... Nf4 $1 $19 {[%cal Rf4h5]} 40. Qh1 {[%eval -289,13]} (40. Qg4 $142 {[%eval -203,13]}) 40... Nc5 41. Bc2 Nfd3+ {[%mdl 64] Double Attack} 42. Ke2 $2 {[%eval -32757,10]} (42. Bxd3 $19 { [%eval -279,14]} Nxd3+ 43. Kd2 Nxb2 44. Bd4 Nc4+ 45. Kd1) 42... Rxf2+ {Black mates.} 43. Kd1 Qxe3 {[%cal Rd3b2]} 44. Bxd3 Qd2# {A wild game. Weighted Error Value: White=0.85/Black=0.45} 0-1 [/pgn]

The US Chess national team is captained by IM John Donaldson, a six-time manager of the Olympiad squad from 1986 to 1996. The team is also joined by US Chess' FIDE Events Manager Christopher Bird.

The U.S. currently leads Pool D in the Top Division along with Peru, as the only teams to win their first three matches on Wednesday. On Thursday, the U.S. plays England, Turkey and Peru; Friday brings Cuba, Poland and Colombia. First moves are made both days at 1:00 p.m. eastern and may be viewed with commentary on Chess.com.

Online Olympiad Top Division Standings after 3

courtesy FIDE, Chess.com

The top two teams in each of the four pools will advance to the second stage of the Olympiad, a knockout bracket scheduled to begin September 13. The finals are set for September 15.