"Those who say they understand chess, understand nothing" -- Robert HUBNER

Michael Adams excels at the Olympiad

: Created:17 Aug 2014 , by

Adams posted the best board one result in the Norway Olympiad scoring 6.5 points from nine games (73%). Regretfully England did not back him up with performances their grades demanded and we finished well below our seeding. 

Nigel Short achieved Britain's greatest performance of the Twentieth Century when he beat Anatoly Karpov in a semi-final match for the world championship but in the Tromsei Olympiad his 1.5 from 5 was profoundly disappointing. Sorry Nigel but retirement from elite chess beckons for the oldest player in the world top one hundred.

Gawain Jones has deservedly worked his way up to number two for England but his 4.5 from 10 suggests that extra work is necessary if he is to become a major force in world chess. David Howell and Mathew Sadler performed well but not overwhemingly on four and five.