Who visited the imperial Budapest They always want to return, because history stands before their eyes and the architectural jewels of the Hungarian capital make this city one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
Of course, for five Argentinians and five Argentine women, their time there will not be tourism for the next few days. This Wednesday will begin 45th chess Olympicsthe biennial team tournament in which every player wants to compete, and the challenge is to improve on what was achieved four years ago in Chennai, India.
The vast majority of players from around the world will be present in the championship par excellence, where heroes are born and everything is left for the colors.
From the Norwegian Magnus Carlsenthe American Fabiano Caruanathe Chinese Ding Liren (world champion) and his Indian challenger Dommaraju Gukesh even chess players from the most remote places on earth who literally go for a walk to play in their homeland.
Nobody wants to miss this contest that will not have Russians or Belarusians due to international sports sanctions due to Russia’s invasion and attack on Ukraine in 2022.
There will be eleven rounds until Sunday the 22nd, in which there will be duels on four boards per country. What counts is the result of the confrontation and not each point achieved, so you play as a team, thinking about the best for the definition of each match diary.
Argentina is pre-classified in the 33rd place of the absolute tournament, with the grandmasters Fernando Peralta (tenth share), Leandro Krysa (second), Ruben Felgaer (octave, on his return), Diego Flores (ninth) and Thomas Sosa (debutante). The captain is the American GM Robert Hungaski.
In Chennai 2022, where the podium was occupied by Uzbekistan, Armenia and India 2, the national team was exactly 33rd, with six wins, two draws and three losses.
Among the ladies, Argentina is located 25°with debut female grandmaster Candela Francisco Guecamburujunior world champion, on the first board; the international female masters Maria Jose Campos y Anapaola Borda Rodasin their second Olympic appearances, and María Belén Sarquis (third); and the legendary WGM Claudia Amurawho in Novi Sad 1990 won the silver medal on the first board, with 8 points in 10 rounds, and will be in his eleventh Olympiad. The captain is the MI Sebastian Iermito.
Two years ago, in Chennai, the women’s podium went to Ukraine, Georgia and India, while Argentina finished 34th, with seven wins and four losses.
Claudia Amura will play her eleventh chess Olympiad in Hungary. Photo: David Llada The national delegation joins Faustino Orothe 10-year-old prodigy that is the youngest international teacher in history. The idea is that you participate in the preparation sessions for each round and experience from the inside how an Olympics is played. No one doubts that in the immediate future the kid will be a participant in one.
The first round will begin tomorrow at 10 in Argentina and can be followed live by broadcasts on different platforms, such as Chess.com and Lichess, in addition to the FIDE YouTube channels, Fide Américas (with IM Benjamín Mela and Arleth González) and Chess.com in Spanish, with the classic duo of David Martínez and Pepe Cuenca.