Batumi Olympiad Round 7: The medals are not too far away!

Everything to play for

The story unfolds with each round as we get closer to the finish line. "Our team can win all their matches and still stand on the podium at the end of the tournament." This is the way in which most of the fans from 189 countries around the world are thinking right now. But for people who are watching the event from close quarters realize how difficult it is to fight for even two match points! Each and every team is giving it their all and winning a match takes a tremendous amount of effort and hard work. One top team who might just be out of the medal race is Russia, who drew their match in the seventh round against Serbia! With heavyweights like Karjakin, Kramnik, Vitiugov and Jakovenko not being able to provide a win, you can imagine how tough it must be out there!

The players make their way to the playing hall as the round is about to begin in a few minutes!

Let's have a look at how the results panned out in the seventh round of the open section.

Results of Round 7 (Open)

Complete list

Poland and Azerbaijan deadlock

Both Poland and Azerbaijan have been playing phenomenal chess at this event and it was an evenly matched encounter when they both clashed against each other in the seventh round. Three boards ended in quick draws and it was the top board of both the teams trying hard for the full point. Both Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov fought until the very end before agreeing to a draw. Mamedyarov was slightly better through most part of the game, but the Polish youngster never let his opponent's advantage increase.

After three draws, it all hinged on the game between Jan-Krzysztof Duda and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov

Chess can become boring and dull for a man who is in the best form of his life!

Azerbaijan and Poland have now been joined by USA on the top of the table with 13 points.

USA too strong for Croatia

USA had no real difficulties in dispatching Croatia as Shankland and Wesley So won their games quite early. Nakamura was never really better in the game, but was not worse as well. The person under some pressure was Fabiano Caruana who played on the top board against GM Ivan Saric. Fabi found some critical moves and drew the game.

Different players have different ways to prepare for their game!

Lotis Key, Wesley's foster mother, likes to find her space in the stands, sit alone and read

Wesley So who was playing with the white pieces against Marin Bosiocic found the move h4! which has never been played from the 1333 games that have reached the above position!

It just shows how rich and diverse chess is and how playing h4! in the opening can make any position interesting!

Israel and Czech Republic exchange blows

Navara beat Gelfand on board one and Hracek beat Nabaty on board three, but the Israeli players pulled it back with Rodstein getting the better of Laznicka and Smirin defeating Michalik.

Smirin 1-0 Michalik

How to play the KID? GM Ilya Smirin explains!

What's wrong with Russia?

Russia has already dropped four match points in this tournament. Two against Poland, one against India and now one more against Serbia. The seventh round draw against Serbia was quite a big blow to the team's medal chances. Karjakin and Vitiugov took quick draws with the black pieces. Perhaps this was their strategy, but if things went wrong in one of the two remaining games, they would lose a match point. This is exactly what happened. Although Kramnik won his game, Jakovenko lost to Marko Nenezic. 

My Path to the Top

On this DVD Vladimir Kramnik retraces his career from talented schoolboy to World Champion in 2006. With humour and charm he describes his first successes, what it meant to be part of the Russian Gold Medal team at the Olympiad, and how he undertook the Herculean task of beating his former mentor and teacher Garry Kasparov.

Sergey Karjakin (left) couldn't fire on the top board against Serbia | Photo: Amruta Mokal
Kramnik played a great game of chess to beat Milos Roganovic | Photo: Niklesh Jain

The Sveshnikov Variation of the Sicilian

The Sveshnikov Variation of the Sicilian is one of the most popular and fascinating replies to 1.e4. Right from the beginning, Black is striving for active and dynamic counterplay, and this results in a double-edge struggle for the initiative. Dutch top grandmaster and six-times national champion Loek van Wely himself has played the Sveshnikov since 1998. On this DVD he comments on his latest encounters with world-class players like Shirov, Anand, Topalov and Kramnik, games which abound with combinatorial ideas and sacrifices; a feast for all fans of tactics.

Jakovenko was the casualty for team Russia. He went down deep into the endgame. But his opponent had a chance to finish him off sooner with a beautiful combination. Check out what Nenezic missed:

King's Indian: A modern approach

Bologan: "If you study this DVD carefully and solve the interactive exercises you will also enrich your chess vocabulary, your King's Indian vocabulary, build up confidence in the King's Indian and your chess and win more games."

China and Ukraine had draws on all four boards of the open section

Belarus gives a tough fight to Armenia

Belarus is a strong team with Kovalev on top board followed by Zhigalko, Aleksandrov and Fedorov and gave the Armenians a run for their money, but in the end, lost out due to Hovhannisyan scoring a win over Fedorov

It's pretty rare to see Aronian getting outprepared in this manner in the opening

The Hungarian team is strong, but it was no match for France which won the match 3-1

'MVL' managed to trick Peter Leko in an extremely complex game, after it seemed the Frenchman was worse out of the opening

Analysis by GM Surya Sekhar Ganguly

The complex Najdorf

When choosing an opening repertoire, there are days when you want to play for a win with Black, when you want to bear down on your opponent’s position with a potentially crushing attack. The Najdorf is perfect for just such occasions. Strategy, combinations, attack and defence, sacrifices and marvellous manoeuvres — exciting chess is all about the Najdorf!

The battle between two of the most solid teams Germany (left) and the Netherlands ended in a 2-2 draw, with draws on all four boards

The Indian team did have a few nervous moments — Vidit Gujrathi lost his game to Adham Fawzy — before crossing the finish line to beat Egypt 2½-1½

The Tarrasch Defence

Are you looking for an active defence against 1.d4? Look no further! The Tarrasch Defence (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5) is one of Black's most ambitious ways to meet 1.d4.

GM Bassem Amin talks about the game with his idol Vishy Anand

(Women's Section) Armenians beat USA to snatch sole lead

Jennifer Yu has been the find of the tournament for USA — despite the US team losing to Armenia, she managed to win against Maria Kursova and has scored a stunning 6½/7 so far.

Anna Sargsyan provided an important victory by overpowering her out of form opponent Sabina Foisor

Armenia is now the sole leader after Elena Danielian and Anna Sargsyan helped Armenia beat USA 2½-1½.

The women in orange posed no threats to the Chinese women. China won against Netherlands 3-1.

The Muzychuk sisters. Mariya (right) managed to beat Mitra Hejazipour to give Ukraine a 2½-1½ win over Iran

The match between Indian women players and Georgia ended in a 2-2 deadlocked as Indian team captain GM Jacob Aagaard reviews the match

The Russian women did manage to beat Greece 3-1, but it was only after Valentina Gunina lost her game to a 2260 rated opponent Anastasia Avramidou in just 20 moves! 

Results of Round 7 (Women)

Where things stand

Azerbaijan, Poland and USA are leading the tournament with 13.0/14. Armenia lost to Azerbaijan, but apart from that they have won all their games and are on the second spot. After that, there are ten teams on 11.0/14. Based on their performance in this tournament, all of these teams are dangerous and can fight for the medals. Iran and Russia are two more teams on 10.0/14 who can really make a dash towards the top.

Ranking in the Open section

Complete list

It must be mentioned that the first tiebreak is the match points (2 for win, 0 for loss, 1 for draw), the second one is Sonneborn-Berger, which essentially is the points your opposing team has scored multiplied by your result against them. And the third tiebreak is game points. With this order of tiebreak, it becomes more important that you have played stronger opposition than scoring a lot of game points against them.

Ranking in the Women section

The Armenian team looks really dangerous at this point. Ukraine, China, Georgia 1 and Romania are on 12.0/14, one point behind Armenia. Romania has been the big surprise of this event. USA, India, Azerbaijan and others on 11.0/14 are strong teams but it seems they would really need to push harder in order to fight for the gold. 

Complete list

Photo Gallery by Amruta Mokal

What do the players do before the start of the round?! Talk and smile!

GM Ivan Cheparinov became a proud father today; his wife GM Antaoneta Stefanova had their first baby, Melissandra.

The thoroughly supportive Elshan Moradiabadi is present at the Olympiad as the coach of Papua New Guinea. He pumps up his fiancé Sabina Foisor before the game.

Here's some footage captured by Amruta Mokal!

Red is everywhere I

Red is everywhere II

Red is everywhere III

As election date comes closer, more gifts are being distributed. These bags are being given by the Dvorkovich team to all the participants.

Kema Goryaeva with match arbiter Mohammed Faizal

The water consumption each day is mammoth when you have nearly 2,000 people under the same roof

Video Gallery

The Indonesian team has an extremely strong youngster on the top board Novendra Priasmoro. We speak to him about his sudden rise in the world of chess. From a rating of 2300, Novendra has reached an Elo of 2498 in nearly a year and has two GM norms. We also talk to his team mates Jodi Azarya Setyaki, Sean Winshend Cuhendi and Andyka Pitra. Get to know more about the Indonesian team at the Batumi Olympiad 2018.

What do you know about Malawi? It lies in southeastern Africa. IM Sagar Shah got in touch with three players from Malawi - Chilly Chipanga, Ellen Mpinganjira, and Richard Chiona. We talk to them about the chess culture in Malawi and also the efforts they are taking to make the sport popular in the country. At the same time, we try to get more insights into the lives of Chipanga, Ellen and Richard.

We were talking to Franklin Kouya about chess in Ivory Coast and he tells us that the country has recently introduced the program of Chess in Schools. We ask him why did the schools agree. At this point, Franklin calls out Marie who is standings a few metres away and tells us Marie's (and other boys and girls) story which motivated the shools to pick up chess. 

Just have a look at Marie when she speaks. The fire in her eyes, the smile on her face the excitement of becoming the best women chess player in the world. These are expressions which have to be preserved and nurtured and facilities have to be made available to people in Ivory coast.

Pairings for Round 8 (Open)

Pairings for Round 8 (Women)

• Official website
• Round 1: Li Chao is the biggest casualty
• Round 2: Improve your chess with the Olympians
• Round 3: Top seeds sail through!
• Round 4: Poles beat the mighty Russians!
• Round 5: Chinese men stunned, USA women are sole leaders
• Round 6: Poland, Azerbaijan lead in open and USA, Armenia in the women's
• The best ever chess opening ceremony!
• ChessBase India Youtube Channel