45th Chess Olympiad Day 3: Photos that tell the tale
In the early 2000s, sports photography boomed, and many photographers started capturing raw emotions of victory and defeat. Later on, it was not about just documenting the sports event but it became a representation of interesting stories behind those photos. This brought a lot of drama and passion to sports. Today, no sports event feels complete without its iconic images. Think of your favorite chess tournament - what comes to mind is likely a memorable picture of a player, a fun incident, or an emotional moment. This is the magic of photography. It brings us close to the event. We are making the same effort by sharing some memorable moments from the 45th Chess Olympiad. Take a look at these pictures – you might just find your favorite picture from this event.
1) A fan moment at the Olympiad
Gukesh has gained immense popularity this year after winning the Candidates Tournament. He is every young chess player’s hero! It is quite natural - who would not want to achieve what Gukesh has achieved today? Olympiad is all about the opportunity to meet and talk to your heroes. Barbados women players seized the opportunity to meet the World Championship Challenger.
2) Magnus was late again... but...
There were many instances in the past when Magnus arrived late to the game. This time at the Olympiad, he was 11 minutes late! Due to heavy traffic, the bus would have arrived late to pick him up. So, he thought it would be better if he took a bike. But even that didn’t get him to the venue on time. Before entering the venue, he thought he had already lost by forfeit. He was not aware that the round started late just like him which gave him additional time. He saved the game by arriving four minutes before he would have forfeited. No surprise, he won the game at the end!
3) Knock knock...
Two members of the FIDE team made a surprise visit to the ChessBase India Commentary room. Niki is the one who manages the social media page of FIDE while Charlize is the one who makes FIDE broadcasts fun and interesting. When Charlize conducts interviews with the players, Niki creates short content for them. Together, they are like a dynamic duo, constantly working behind the scenes to keep chess fans entertained. It’s great to see how the entire FIDE team is so dedicated to delivering the best content for the fans.
4) Things are getting serious...
In this captivating shot, we see Divya Deshmukh watching Vantika Agrawal’s game with keen interest. Both are young Indian talents on the verge of achieving Grandmaster status. It’s a moment that perfectly captures their focus and determination. These players carry the promise of taking Indian chess to greater heights.
5) Heartfelt encounter
Meet this sweet family who lives in Milan, Italy, and came to meet the ChessBase India team at the Olympiad! They developed an interest in chess during the pandemic and now they follow many tournaments closely. It’s truly heartwarming to receive such love and appreciation. When people go out of their way to express their support, it inspires us to keep pushing ourselves to deliver even more.
6) The Queen's first move
Ivan Cheparinov, a four-time Bulgarian Champion with multiple tournament victories under his belt, played against the World No. 3 and US No. 2, Fabiano Caruana. The first move made by none other than Judit Polgar, the strongest female chess player in history! Given that the tournament is in Hungary, it’s no surprise to see Judit gracing the event. That confident handshake, her infectious smile - it all comes together in one powerful picture!
7) Analyse the analysis
Great chess players always want to analyze their games – regardless of the result! Here we see World No. 1 and India No. 2, Arjun Erigaisi engrossed in post-game analysis with his opponent, Peter Prohaszka. While the arbiter is busy noting down the result, these two are fully absorbed in dissecting the game! Though Arjun won the game, Peter is equally interested in the post-game discussion which shows the true spirit of competitive chess. Arjun might be ‘detached’ from the results but he is always ‘attached’ to analyzing his games.
8) The Broadcast Magician
A huge shoutout to this gentleman, Menno Pals, for transforming the way we experience live chess commentary! Along with Lennart Ootes, they have completely changed the broadcasting game. From introducing advanced camera setups to automating angle switches, they have brought a whole new level of professionalism to the game. What sets them apart? They ‘get’ chess just as much as they ‘get’ how to broadcast it flawlessly. Hats off to this unbeatable bishop pair of the broadcasting world!
9) Tech-tic of revolution
Have you noticed that in all the FIDE-rated chess tournaments, a specific type of chessboard and clock are used? Well, these are DGT chess boards and clocks. The boards were first used in the World Youth Olympiad in 2017. They look like wooden boards, but in reality, they are made of plastic! The clocks were first used in the World Championship match between Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand in 2014. These products have a unique sensor technology because of which millions of chess lovers can follow chess tournaments live! In the above picture, you see the CEO of DGT Hans Pees with the FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich.
10) A Dutch-Italian Gambit
Loek van Wely is a Dutch National Champion but is a captain of the Italian Men’s Team. GM Sabino Brunello is playing on the fourth board of the Italian Team. In the third round, his Italian squad faced off against his home country, the Netherlands. the Italian team delivered a 3-1 victory over the Dutch. What an irony! The ‘Eight’ time Dutch Champion Loek van Wely literally ‘ate’ the Dutch team!
11) Welcome to the Arena!
Last but not least… take in the atmosphere! This is the view from the balcony of the grand playing hall, filled with thousands of players. People from all corners of the world are united here, speaking the universal language of ‘Chess’. Feel the energy and excitement in the air – how amazing would it be to witness this LIVE?
12) Guess the age!
What do you think ‘How young are they?’
Stay Tuned!
Stay tuned for the highlights and excitement from Day 4. Another thrilling chapter in this epic chess journey is about to unfold!
