I always enjoy getting to the chess olympiad a few days early, as it gives me a chance to see what goes into organising such a large event. For the 2022 Olympiad, what goes into this one, is a massive army of volunteers and staff.
This started with me being met at the airport (actually on the airbridge), before being taken directly through customs (via the express lane) , and after collecting my luggage, being driven to my hotel. After a solid nights sleep, and a quick breakfast, I went and inspected the venue.
The venue is split into two areas, with the top boards in the existing convention centre, while the rest of the event is in a larger, purpose built, structure. Both venues are fairly spacious, with good lighting and air conditioning. The second hall has spectator areas, but as a result, space is a little tighter.
In terms of organisation, it has been pretty good so far. When I arrived both venues had already been set up (DGT boards for every match), although there was some last minute wiring and fixing going on. I spent a lot of the day helping get the TAP (Technical Administration Panel) office set up, and then checking the software that will be used to do the pairings. Tomorrow the main task will be checking on the arrival of the teams, to see who gets included in the pairings. As the drawing of lots is not going to take place until the opening ceremony, pairings won't be available until Thursday evening. Fortunately this gives us enough time to solve any last minute issues that arise.
1 comment:
Very nice update - best wishes for the tournament!
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