The Olympic Chess Spirit
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The Chess Olympiad is now over. An event that I really enjoyed following. Every day I tuned in to the excellent commentary by Peter Svidler and Peter Leko. Watched recaps from Daniel King.
I allowed myself to be a chess fan and just binge as much coverage as I could. The games have been amazing to follow. Besides the young phenoms and experienced Grandmasters, the Olympiad also features players completely new to the game from countries without a large chess community.
On Twitter some debate about the quality of the games surfaced.
First, I was a bit critical about the fact that some players seemed to play really poorly, and that I could do a better job myself. Maybe I was a bit jealous of not getting the chance myself?
Then I reflected a bit on what an Olympiad really is.
“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”
— founder of the Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin
According to Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the Olympiad, the original one, is not about winning. It is about taking part. After reflecting some more I got a flashback to the Sydney Games in 2000, where I remember watching Eric Moussambani from Equatorial Guinea competing in the 100-meter free swimming competition.
Moussambani gained entry to the Olympics without meeting the minimum qualification requirements via a wildcard draw to developing countries lacking full training facilities. He only had access to a lake and a 12-meter pool at a local hotel with very limited practice times only 8 months before the Olympics.1
Moussambani had never seen a 50-meter-long Olympic-size swimming pool before the Sydney Games. His finish time was 1:52.72, while the world record stands at 48.30 seconds!
You can watch Moussambani’s memorable heat below.
According to Wikipedia Moussambani lowered his personal best to 57 seconds after the Games in Sydney but was denied entry into the 2004 Olympics due to Visa problems, but in March 2012 he was appointed coach of the national swimming squad of Equatorial Guinea. And he now promotes swimming in his home country.
The unrated and untested chess players with limited chess experience at the Chess Olympiad will likely go home to tell the story, they might work on their game, and maybe one day they will coach future chess players.
Not everyone has an Olympic-size swimming pool to practice in. Not everyone has access to rated tournaments, a stable internet connection, and experienced chess coaches.
If you want the full story about Moussambani, watch this video.
Do you think there should be a lower rating cap at the chess Olympiad?
/Martin
Final note, remember to check out JB’s 10-week blindfold training program that just started:
Truly a beautiful response to the nay-sayers. Well done!
Nope. There can't be a rating Cap at the Olympiad. That would kill the SPIRIT of the movement.