World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad

[Michael Barron]

Dear chess friends,

This week in Turkey started World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad:
http://wyco2009.tsf.org.tr/index.php?lang=en

There are 22 teams from 15 countries: Russia, India, Armenia, Hungary, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, England, Greece, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Turkmenistan, New Zealand, Libya.

Unfortunately, Canada is not one of them...

Next year this event will take place in July:
http://www.fide.com/index.php?option...lendar&ny=2010

Canada could field a good team, for example:
Sapozhnikov, Roman 2215
Yuan, Yuanling 2202
Kraiouchkine, Nikita 2114
Calugar, Arthur 2108

Even this year with average rating 2160, such team could be ranked 7th - after Azerbaijan (2210) and before Uzbekistan (2153), and could compete for the place in the top 5.
Next year it would do even better.
Of course, other young players with proper training and dedication could make the Olimpic team as well.

Is this idea worth trying?

[Valer Eugen Demian]

This kind of opportunities should always be pursued automatically if we want a solid chess life in Canada. Chess players need opportunities to grow and improve at all times!

[John Coleman]

Are potential players interested in going to the Youth chess Olympiad? If so, how much would Canadian participation cost, and how would it be financed?

[Bob Gillanders]

Michael, this maybe a little confusing for some of us. This isn't the WYCC where Canada does send a team every year, right?

Could you differentiate the 2 tournaments please. What is the history of this tournament, World Youth under 16, and has Canada ever sent a team?

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Could you differentiate the 2 tournaments please. What is the history of this tournament, World Youth under 16, and has Canada ever sent a team?

WYCC - personal event (U-8;...;U-18)
WY U-16 Olympiad - team competition (only U16).

History - don't know.

TCF will provide free board and lodging for a team of 4 players and the official, free for ten days, for the applications came till 21th August 2009.

[Michael Barron]

Bob,

You're right - this isn't the WYCC...

For some reason, many Canadians believe that there are only one international youth tournament - WYCC, while in fact there are much more.

For example, October 1st in Mazatlan, Mexico starts North America Youth Chess Championship, where 4 Canadians will play - please see http://www.chesscanada.info/forum/showthread.php?t=648

As for the history of the World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad - sorry, this question is not for me - I'm not a historian...
As far as I know, Canada has never sent a team to it, but I would like to change this tradition...

There are 2 problems here:
1) the cost;
2) the absence from school.

Next year World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad will be in July - so, the second problem solved.
As for the first one - the estimated cost of Canadian participation is $10,000 for the team of 4 players and a coach.
It probably could be covered by donations and sponsorships...

[Michael Barron]

Dear chess friends,

World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad has finished today in Turkey:
http://wyco2009.tsf.org.tr/index.php?lang=en

The top teams are:
1) Russia,
2) India,
3) Armenia,
4) Georgia,
5) Turkey,
6) Uzbekistan,
7) South Africa,
8) Hungary,
9) Azerbaijan,
10) Turkey - Girls.

Top seeds Russia, India, and Armenia dominated the event and took top 3 places according to their ranking.
But down the table were a few unexpected results...
Turkish kids played over their head - probably, the home ground helped them.
The team from South Africa as well got much higher place than was suggested by their ranking bofore the event.

I would add that prospective Canadian team could be not weaker than Turkish team and clearly stronger than team from South Africa.

Let's hope that next year World Youth Under-16 Chess Olympiad will see the first Canadian team in it's history!

[Christopher Mallon]

Are they every year now? They used to be every other year, opposite years from the full Olympiad.

[Michael Barron]

Are they every year now? They used to be every other year, opposite years from the full Olympiad.

I'm not a historian, but Youth Under 16 Chess Olympiad took place every year since at least 1998 - when GM Ruslan Ponomariov led Ukrainian team to the victory.