2012 Chess Olympiad

The Turkish Chess Federation is once again hosting a major FIDE event.  Next month, after the Olympiad finishes, Turkey will be host to another FIDE Women's Grand Prix! 

Do you remember who won the 2010 Chess Olympiad?  I didn't!  To refresh your memory, here are the top ten finishers from the "Open" (a/k/a Men's) and Women's Teams:

Open:

Rk.	SNo		Team	Team	Games	+	=	-	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4
1	2		Ukraine	UKR	11	8	3	0	19	380.5	31	143
2	1		Russia 1	RUS1	11	8	2	1	18	379.5	28	157
3	11		Israel	ISR	11	7	3	1	17	367.5	29	148
4	5		Hungary	HUN	11	8	1	2	17	355.5	26.5	157
5	3		China	CHN	11	7	2	2	16	362	29	147
6	4		Russia 2	RUS2	11	8	0	3	16	355	29.5	144
7	6		Armenia	ARM	11	7	2	2	16	345	27	147
8	16		Spain	ESP	11	7	2	2	16	332	28.5	137
9	9		United States of America	USA	11	7	2	2	16	315.5	27	141
10	10		France	FRA	11	6	4	1	16	311.5	25	149

Women's:

Rk.	SNo		Team	Team	Games	+	=	-	TB1	TB2	TB3	TB4
1	1		Russia 1	RUS1	11	11	0	0	22	439.5	34	147
2	2		China	CHN	11	9	0	2	18	386.5	31.5	146
3	4		Georgia	GEO	11	7	2	2	16	384	29	155
4	18		Cuba	CUB	11	8	0	3	16	348.5	30	136
5	6		United States of America	USA	11	7	2	2	16	336.5	28.5	140
6	10		Poland	POL	11	7	2	2	16	336	29.5	132
7	26		Azerbaijan	AZE	11	8	0	3	16	320	28	136
8	12		Bulgaria	BUL	11	7	2	2	16	296.5	24.5	147
9	3		Ukraine	UKR	11	7	1	3	15	366.5	28.5	156
10	5		Russia 2	RUS2	11	6	3	2	15	335.5	26.5	152

 I do have vague recollections that the USA Men's Team had been expected to do pretty darn well, perhaps even medal.  Wrong!  The USA Women's Team was good, but they were outgunned by Russia, China and Georgia.  However, to see Cuba finish ahead of them - oy!  Still, they played tough and the didn't lay down.

2010's Women's Team was composed of IM Irina Krush, IM Anna Zatonskih, WFM Tatev Abrahamyan, WGM Camille Baginskaite, and WGM Sabina Foisor.  The 2012 Women's Team is composed of IM Anna Zatonskih, IM Irina Krush, WGM Sabina Foisor, IM Rusudan Goletiani, and WGM Tatev Abrahamyan.  A little rearranging, Baginskaite swapped out for Goletiani.  USA Women are ready to rock. 

GM Judit Polgar is on the Hungarian Open Team, I assume she will be playing Board 3.  As far as I can tell, she is the only female playing on an Open team for this Olympiad.

I was shocked to see that GM Koneru Humpy is NOT playing on either Indian team.  Neither is GM Vishy Anand.

Opening Ceremonies are tomorrow, play will start on August 28th.  Who will win medals in 2012?  I've no idea, LOL!

Official Olympiad website.