37th Chess Olympiad

File:Stamp of Moldova 010.jpg

A 2006 stamp of Moldova featuring the logo of the 37th Chess Olympiad

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A 2007 stamp of Armenia dedicated to the 37th Chess Olympiad

The 37th Chess Olympiad (Template:Langx), organized by FIDE and comprising an open and a women's tournament, as well as several other events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between May 20 and June 4, 2006, in Turin, Italy. There were 148 teams in the open event and 103 in the women's event. In total, 1307 players were registered.

Both tournament sections were officiated by international arbiter Geurt Gijssen (Netherlands). Teams were paired across the 13 rounds of competition according to the Swiss system. The open division was played over four boards per round, while the women's was played over three. In the event of a draw, the tie-break was decided by 1. The Buchholz system; 2. Match points; 3. The Sonneborn-Berger system; and 4. The Median Buchholz system.

The time control for each game permitted each player 90 minutes for all their moves, with an additional 30 seconds increment for each player after each move, beginning with the first.

Open event

File:Chess Olympiad Torino 2006.jpg

The tournament venue: The Oval Lingotto

The open division was contested by 148 teams representing 143 nations. Italy, as hosts, fielded three teams. At the same time the International Braille Chess Association (IBCA), the International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA), and the International Committee of Silent Chess (ICSC) each provided one squad. Somalia and Sierra Leone were signed up, but never arrived.

Led by first board Levon Aronian, the second highest-rated player at the Olympiad, and first reserve Gabriel Sargissian, who scored 10 points in 11 games, Armenia improved on their third-place performance at the 36th Olympiad, claiming their first ever gold medals by a full two points over the silver medallists China, whose fourth board Wang Yue went undefeated, winning eight games and drawing four. Armenia ended the tournament without having lost a match, winning 10 and drawing three, including in the final round against Hungary, when four draws were cursorily recorded. Aronian was the only Armenian player to lose a game during the tournament, falling in the fifth round to Vladimir Kramnik of Russia.

Reigning classical World Champion Kramnik, playing internationally for the first time in six months, scored 6½ points in his nine games, recording the best rating performance of any player. His Russian team, though, did not perform as expected; fielding six of the tournament's 17 strongest players on rating [1] Template:Webarchive, Russia held second place, just behind Armenia, through the seventh round but lost matches to France (1½-2½), the United States (1½-2½), and, in the final round, Israel (1-3), and ultimately finished sixth; the worst Olympic result ever for a Soviet or Russian side.

Although they defeated the United States (2½-1½) in the penultimate round, Israel had to settle for a tie for third place; the Americans claimed the bronze medals on Buchholz tiebreaks. Hungary, seeded 16th, finished fifth, thanks to strong performances from third board Ferenc Berkes and fourth board Csaba Balogh, while India, who entered the tournament seeded second, finished in 30th place, with first board Viswanathan Anand (former and future World Champion) and fourth board Surya Shekhar Ganguly both scoring just 50%. Even without FIDE World Champion Veselin Topalov, Bulgaria still managed to clinch a top ten result, finishing in ninth place.

Open event

#	Country	Players	Average rating	Points	Buchholz
1		Aronian, Akopian, Asrian, Lputian, Sargissian, Minasian	2682	36
2		Bu Xiangzhi, Zhang Zhong, Zhang Pengxiang, Wang Yue, Ni Hua, Zhao Jun	2628	34
3		Kamsky, Onischuk, Nakamura, Ibragimov, Kaidanov, Akobian	2656	33	392.5
4		Gelfand, Smirin, Sutovsky, Avrukh, Huzman, Mikhalevski	2663	33	380.5
5		Almási, Gyimesi, Berkes, Balogh, Ruck, Horváth	2610	32½
6		Kramnik, Svidler, Grischuk, Morozevich, Bareev, Rublevsky	2730	32	410.5
7		Bacrot, Lautier, Sokolov, Fressinet, Vachier-Lagrave, Bauer	2665	32	396.0
8		Ivanchuk, Volokitin, Karjakin, Eljanov, Moiseenko, Efimenko	2680	32	390.5
9		Georgiev, Cheparinov, Delchev, Spasov, Petkov, Iotov	2633	32	385.0
10		Shirov, Vallejo Pons, Illescas Córdoba, Arizmendi Martinez, San Segundo Carrillo, Narciso Dublan	2628	32	377.5

Final Ranking - Open

#	Country	Average rating	Points	Buchholz	MP
11		2596	31	399.0
12		2646	31	396.0
13		2554	31	389.5
14		2610	31	388.0
15	Template:GER	2621	31	381.0
16		2598	30½	386.0
17		2549	30½	381.0
18		2578	30½	376.5
19		2627	30½	366.0
20		2577	30	396.0
21		2593	30	381.0
22		2582	30	379.0
23		2547	30	378.5
24		2643	30	377.5
25	Template:CRO	2559	30	373.5
26		2610	30	372.0
27		2555	30	367.5
28		2516	30	357.5
29		2479	30	351.0
30		2688	29½	391.5
31		2577	29½	376.0
32		2573	29½	371.5
33		2517	29½	366.0
34		2482	29½	357.0
35		2493	29½	354.5
36	Template:Flagcountry	2598	29	381.0
37	Template:Flagcountry	2542	29	376.0
38		2540	29	372.5
39		2533	29	372.0
40		2489	29	369.5
41		2521	29	367.5
42		2530	29	360.5
43		2536	28½	373.5
44		2538	28½	369.5
45		2560	28½	368.0
46		2487	28½	355.0
47		2449	28½	354.0
48	"B"	2375	28½	353.5
49		2472	28	375.5
50		2481	28	362.5
51		2532	28	361.5
52		2479	28	358.0
53		2348	28	345.5
54		2165	28	331.0
55		2472	27½	354.0
56		2455	27½	352.0
57		2437	27	362.5
58		2448	27	360.0
59		2332	27	358.5
60		2493	27	352.0
61		2439	27	351.5	14
62		2466	27	351.5	12
63		2314	27	351.0
64		2342	27	349.0
65		2438	27	340.5
66		2327	27	324.0
67		2420	26½	354.5
68		2348	26½	353.5
69		2291	26½	347.0
70		2438	26½	342.0
71		2336	26½	327.5
72		2362	26½	324.0
73		2404	26	362.5
74		2439	26	349.5
75		2444	26	348.0
76	ICSC	2308	26	333.5
77		2410	26	332.5
78		2388	26	330.5
79		2237	26	320.5
80		2331	25½	364.5
81		2424	25½	350.5
82		2333	25½	345.0
83	"C"	2366	25½	337.5
84		2321	25½	334.5
85		2315	25½	329.0
86	Template:Country data Iraq	2310	25½	326.0
87		2400	25½	316.5
88		2139	25½	314.5
89		2332	25	347.0
90		2383	25	341.0
91		2284	25	333.5
92		2335	24½	342.5
93		2275	24½	341.5
94		2329	24½	338.5
95		2279	24½	334.0
96		2255	24½	325.0
97		2248	24½	320.5
98		2268	24½	319.0
99		2074	24½	206.5
100		2274	24	333.0
101		2217	24	314.5
102		2191	24	312.0
103		2212	24	305.0
104		2126	24	297.0
105		2227	23½	329.0
106		2257	23½	328.0
107	IPCA	2339	23½	322.0
108		2187	23½	304.0
109		1968	23½	299.5
110		2052	23½	222.5
111	IBCA	2339	23	322.0
112	Template:Country data Libya	2052	23	304.0
113		2172	23	303.5
114		2199	23	303.0
115		2079	23	273.5
116		2276	22½	325.0
117		2245	22½	320.5
118		2181	22½	303.5
119		2244	22½	291.0
120		2115	22	307.5
121		2152	22	301.5
122		2175	22	300.5
123		2112	22	279.0
124		2120	22	274.5
125	Template:Country data Palestine	2188	21½	297.0
126		1400	21½	295.5
127		2165	21½	291.5
128	Template:Country data Ethiopia	1587	21½	289.5
129	Template:Flagcountry	2089	21½	288.5
130		2187	21½	270.0
131		1576	21	296.5
132		2147	21	292.5
133		2140	21	289.0
134		1771	21	286.0
135		2117	21	281.0
136		1572	21	259.5
137	Template:Flagcountry	1707	20½	297.0
138	Template:Flagcountry	2194	20½	290.5
139		2017	20	280.0
140		1793	20	259.0
141		1400	19½	277.5
142		1766	19½	263.0
143	Template:Flagcountry	1910	19	288.0
144		1967	19	268.5
145		2017	18
146		1986	15½
147		1470	12
148		1753	10½

Group prizes

In addition to the overall medals, prizes were given out to the best teams in five different seeding groups—in other words, the teams who exceeded their seeding the most. Overall medal winners were not eligible for group prizes.

Group Prizes

Group	Seeding range	Team	Seed	Overall finish
A	1–30		6	4
B	31–60		31	17
C	61–89	"B"	70	48
D	90–120		106	54
E	121–147		121	87

Individual medals

• Performance rating: Template:Flagicon Vladimir Kramnik 2847
• Board 1: Template:Flagicon Tunveer Mohyuddin Gillani 7 / 8 = 87.5%
• Board 2: Template:Flagicon Josep Oms Pallise 9 / 11 = 81.8%
• Board 3: Template:Flagicon Gustavo Manuel Larrea Llorca 7 / 8 = 87.5%
• Board 4: Template:Flagicon Wang Yue 10 / 12 = 83.3%
• 1st reserve: Template:Flagicon Basheer Al Qudaimi 7 / 7 = 100.0%
• 2nd reserve: Template:Flagicon Richmond Phiri 6½ / 7 = 92.9%

Women's event

File:Brunello-Chiamparino TO 2006.jpg

Italy's Marina Brunello (12), with Olympiad mascot Ruki and Turin Mayor Sergio Chiamparino

The women's division was contested by 103 teams representing 99 nations. Italy, as hosts, fielded two teams, whilst the International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) and the International Physically Disabled Chess Association (IPCA) each provided one squad. Somalia and Sudan had registered but never showed up. Afghanistan, Uganda, and Rwanda all withdrew after forfeiting their first round matches.

Ukraine had finished in 18th place at the previous Olympiad but entered the tournament seeded second. They trailed top-seeds Russia half a point through the seventh round, despite having taken defeated the Russians in the fifth round (2-1), but took the lead in round eight, defeating Hungary while Russia managed only to draw their match with the United States. Ukraine never gave up their lead for the remainder of the tournament and all but secured the gold medals and the Vera Menchik Trophy with a twelfth round win over India (2½-½), eventually finishing 1½ points ahead of silver medallists Russia. The Ukrainian team was led by Natalia Zhukova, who scored 7½ points in her nine games, defeating the top- and second-rated players, Humpy Koneru of India and Alexandra Kosteniuk of Russia. Third board Inna Gaponenko won six games, drew two, and lost only one.

Defending champions China were missing newly crowned World Champion Xu Yuhua, but still claimed the bronze medals by three points over the United States with whom they drew in the penultimate round Their third-place finish was in no small part due to top board Zhao Xue, who entered the tournament seeded 22nd yet, having played in every round, went through the Olympiad undefeated, conceding only six draws in her 13 games.

The American team took fourth place on tiebreaks, just ahead of Hungary, Georgia, and the Netherlands - the Dutch team being seeded only 18th.

#	Country	Players	Average rating	Points	Buchholz
1		Zhukova, Lahno, Yanovska-Gaponenko, Ushenina	2441	29½
2		Kosteniuk, T. Kosintseva, N. Kosintseva, Kovalevskaya	2499	28
3		Zhao Xue, Wang Yu, Shen Yang, Hou Yifan	2408	27½
4		Zatonskih, Krush, Goletiani, Baginskaite	2414	24½	307.0
5		Hoang Thanh Trang, Mádl, Vajda, Gara	2426	24½	306.0
6		Khurtsidze, Dzagnidze, Javakhishvili, Lomineishvili	2430	24½	305.5
7		Peng Zhaoqin, Bosboom-Lanchava, Schuurman, Muhren	2344	24½	276.5
8		Mkrtchian, Danielian, Aginian, Andriasian	2402	24	299.0
9		A. Muzychuk, Srebrnič, Krivec, Novak	2348	24	286.0
10		Jacková, Čedíková, Sikorová, Blažková	2302	24	270.5

Final Ranking - Women

#	Country	Average rating	Points	Buchholz	MP	S-B
11	Template:GER	2399	23½
12		2389	23	305.0
13		2378	23	302.0
14		2375	23	294.0
15		2302	23	283.5
16		2289	23	279.0
17		2292	23	263.0
18		2366	22½	299.5
19		2370	22½	297.0
20		2375	22½	293.0
21	Template:Flagcountry	2262	22½	293.0
22		2354	22½	292.0
23		2374	22	286.5
24		2189	22	273.0
25	Template:Flagcountry	2343	22	272.5
26		2083	22	271.5
27		2222	22	271.0
28		2296	21½	286.0
29		2329	21½	281.5
30	Template:CRO	2227	21½	281.0
31		2191	21½	260.0
32		2200	21½	257.0
33		2246	21	285.5
34		2264	21	282.5
35		2265	21	273.5
36		2182	21	266.5
37		2304	21	266.0
38		2262	21	265.5
39		2262	21	262.5
40		1919	21	257.5
41		2132	21	252.5
42		2231	20½	271.5
43		1874	20½	264.5
44		2089	20½	259.5
45		2262	20	283.5
46		2269	20	280.0
47		2117	20	258.0
48		2137	20	256.0
49		2058	20	254.0
50		2111	20	249.0
51		2123	20	244.0
52		2081	20	238.0
53		2137	19½	250.0
54		2210	19½	256.0
55		2085	19½	254.5
56		2134	19½	247.5
57		2165	19	260.0
58		2092	19	259.0
59		2182	19	258.5
60		2136	19	255.0
61		2137	19	254.0
62		1812	19	241.5
63		1802	19	223.0
64		2137	18½	252.5
65	"B"	1945	18½	242.0
66		1900	18½	236.5
67	IPCA	2056	18½	229.5
68		2090	18	260.5
69		2054	18	248.5
70		2079	18	239.5
71		2030	18	236.0
72	IBCA	2113	17½	248.0
73		1834	17½	240.0
74		1629	17½	236.0
75		1947	17½	234.5
76		1791	17½	232.0	10	82.75
77		1863	17½	232.0	10	80.50
78		1747	17½	231.5
79		1588	17½	227.5
80		1692	17½	226.0
81	Template:Country data Iraq	1805	17	247.0
82		1590	17	233.0
83		1617	17	209.0
84		1584	16½	231.5
85		1581	16½	211.5
86		1400	16½	198.0
87	ICSC	2008	16	234.0
88		1826	16	233.5
89		1853	16	211.0
90		1400	15½
91		1400	15	193.5
92		1400	15	182.5
93		1400	14½	184.5
94		1469	14½	182.0
95		1400	14	205.5
96		1400	14	192.0
97		1400	14	179.5
98		1400	13½	176.0
99	Template:Country data Libya	1467	13½	174.5
100		1400	13
101		1400	12½
102		1400	12
103		1400	9

Group prizes

In addition to the overall medals, prizes were given out to the best teams in five different seeding groups—in other words, the teams who exceeded their seeding the most. Overall medal winners were not eligible for group prizes.

Group Prizes

Group	Seeding range	Team	Seed	Overall finish
A	1–20		5	4
B	21–42		22	10
C	43–64		60	26
D	65–86		68	40
E	87–103		87	79

Individual medals

• Performance rating: Template:Flagicon Zhao Xue 2617
• Board 1: Lubov Zsiltzova-Lisenko (IBCA) 9 / 10 = 90.0%
• Board 2: Template:Flagicon Fiona Steil-Antoni 10 / 12 = 83.3%
• Board 3: Template:Flagicon Nora Mohd Saleh 7 / 8 = 87.5%
• Reserve: Template:Flagicon Tatiana Berlin 7 / 8 = 87.5%

Overall title

The Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy is awarded to the nation that has the highest total number of game points in the open and women's divisions combined. Where two or more teams are tied, they are ordered by best single finish in either division and then by total number of points scored.

The trophy, named after the former women's World Champion (1961–78), was created by FIDE in 1997.

#	Team	Open division	Women's division	Total
1		34	27½	61½
2		32	29½	61½
3		36	24	60

Participating teams

Squads representing 133 nations, three international organizations, three constituent countries, two autonomous entities, two crown dependencies, two special administrative regions, two insular areas, and one associated state were entered into the Olympiad, comprising a total of 1307 registered players (some of which did not play).

File:37th Chess Olympiad participants.PNG

Countries that participated only in the open division are shown in dark green, while the rest of the participants are shown in light green.

FIDE Congress

Concurrent with the chess competition, the 77th FIDE Congress was held in Turin, where delegates from all the national chess federations met to transact business. Incumbent FIDE president Kirsan Ilyumzhinov faced criticisms for alleged mismanagement and corruption, primarily from Western federations, including those of the United States, England, France, and Canada, but, with the support of most Asian and African delegates, notably those representing Russia and Singapore, he staved off a challenge from Dutch businessman Bessel Kok to retain his position through 2010, winning by 96 votes to Kok's 54.

The general assembly also awarded the 38th Chess Olympiad, to be held in 2010, to Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia, the site of the Chess World Cup 2005 and one of five candidates that had submitted bids. The city led after every round of the runoff voting, eventually beating Budva, Montenegro by 71–64.

Associated events

Held in conjunction with the Olympiad, though not officially sponsored by FIDE, were two computer chess events: the 14th World Computer Chess Championship, played at classical time controls, and the 14th World Computer Speed Chess Championship. The computer Junior won its fifth championship and third in five years in the slower event, while newcomer Ikarus defeated quadruple defending champion Shredder to win the blitz event.

External links

• 37th Chess Olympiad: Turin 2006 OlimpBase
• Turin Olympiad 2006 official homepage
• FIDE press release on Olympiad results
• Detailed Olympiad results Template:Webarchive
• This Week in Chess round-by-round Olympiad summaries