2024 Chess Olympiad - Day 1

 The 2024 Chess Olympiad got off to a pretty good start, especially in terms of the pairings. For the first time in my memory, there were no forfeited matches in either event (although there were a few no shows in individual games). The PNG team was the beneficiary of one of those no shows, with Tom McCoy scoring an early (forfeit) win on board 2. Unfortunately the rest of the Bolivian team did show up, resulting in a 3-1 win to them.

Across both events all matches went according to seeding, with one small exception. Vanuatu were originally given the bye in the Open, but the late arrival of the team from the Democratic Republic of Congo meant we could pair these teams. Although DRC was nominally the favourite  on rating (in that Vanuatu players did not have ratings), the debutantes defeated the DRC 2.5-1.5.

Another great result occurred in the Fiji v Ireland match. Although Fiji lost 0.5-3.5, CM Rudr Prasad drew with GM Alexander Baburin on board 2. A real confidence booster for young champion.

CM Rudr Prasad vs GM Alexander Baburin
2024 Chess Olympiad, Round 1, 2024

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. Bf4 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. e3 Nh5 6. Bg3 Qb6 7. Qc2 Nxg3 8. hxg3 g6 9. Nbd2 d5 10. Be2 Bg7 11. O-O O-O 12. Nb3 cxd4 13. exd4 Qc7 14. Rac1 b6 15. Rfe1 Bd7 16. Qd2 a5 17. Qf4 Qxf4 18. gxf4 Ne7 19. Ne5 Be8 20. Nd2 Nf5 21. Bd3 Nd6 22. c4 dxc4 23. Ndxc4 Nxc4 24. Bxc4 Rd8 25. Red1 Bf6 26. a3 Kg7 27. d5 Ba4 28. b3 Bxe5 29. fxe5 exd5 30. Rxd5 Rxd5 31. Bxd5 Rd8 32. Bxf7 Kxf7 33. bxa4 Rd4 34. Rc3 Ke6 35. Rc6+ Kxe5 36. Rxb6 Rxa4 37. Rb3 Rd4 38. Kf1 1/2-1/2