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34th Chess Olympiad

Official logo of the Olympiad

The 34th Chess Olympiad, organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs and comprising an open and women's tournament, took place between October 28 and November 12, 2000, in Istanbul, Turkey. There were 126 teams in the open event and 86 in the women's event.

Both tournament sections were officiated by international arbiter Geurt Gijssen (Netherlands). Teams were paired across the 14 rounds of competition according to the Swiss system. The open division was played over four boards per round, whilst the women's was played over three. In the event of a draw, the tie-break was decided first by the Buchholz system and secondly by match points.

The time control for each game permitted each player 100 minutes to make the first 40 of his or her moves, then an additional 50 minutes to make the next 20 moves, and then 10 minutes to finish the game, with an additional 30 seconds devolving on each player after each move, beginning with the first.

In addition to the overall medal winners, the teams were divided into seeding groups, with the top finishers in each group receiving special prizes.

Open event

The open division was contested by 126 teams representing 124 nations. Turkey, as hosts, fielded two teams, whilst the International Braille Chess Association provided one squad. Nicaragua, Mauritania, and Djibouti were signed up but never arrived.

Once again, Russia had to do without their strongest players, the "Three Ks". Classical World Champion Garry Kasparov and challenger Vladimir Kramnik were in the midst of their championship match, and ex-champion Anatoly Karpov was still at odds with the national federation. Captained by the new FIDE champion Khalifman, however, Russia were still favourites, and the team did win their fifth consecutive title, although only by a single point. Germany took the silver medals, while Ukraine clinched the bronze, beating Hungary on tie-break. Pre-tournament medal favourites England, whose average rating was a mere 13 points below Russia's, finished a disappointing seventh.

Open event
# Country Players Average
rating		 Points Buchholz
1 Russia Khalifman, Morozevich, Svidler, Rublevsky, Sakaev, Grischuk 2685 38
2 Germany Yusupov, Hübner, Dautov, Lutz, Bischoff, Luther 2604 37
3 Ukraine Ivanchuk, Ponomariov, Baklan, Eingorn, Romanishin, Malakhatko 2638 35½ 457.5
4 Hungary Leko, Almási, Polgár, Portisch, Sax, Ruck 2661 35½ 455.5
5 Israel Gelfand, Smirin, Avrukh, Psakhis, Sutovsky, Huzman 2652 34½
6 Georgia Azmaiparashvili, Giorgadze, Sturua, Kacheishvili, Gelashvili, Jobava 2602 34
7 England Adams, Short, Hodgson, Speelman, Miles, Emms 2672 33 441.5
8 India Krishnan Sasikiran, Abhijit Kunte, Pentala Harikrishna, Dibyendu Barua, Devaki Prasad, Surya Ganguly 2538 33 440.5
9 China Ye Jiangchuan, Xu Jun, Peng Xiaomin, Wu Wenjin, Liang Chong, Ni Hua 2651 33 439.5
10 Switzerland Korchnoi, Milov, Gallagher, Pelletier, Jenni, Hug 2562 33 432.5
# Country Average
rating		 Points Buchholz MP
11 Uzbekistan 2564 33 429.5
12 Slovenia 2550 33 421.0
13 Macedonia 2483 33 417.0
14 Bulgaria 2628 32½ 459.0
15 Poland 2590 32½ 437.5
16 France 2544 32½ 427.0
17 Armenia 2606 32 456.5
18 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2582 32 441.5
19 Philippines 2510 32 439.0 19
20 Greece 2541 32 439.0 16
21 Denmark 2580 32 436.0
22 Cuba 2546 32 432.5
23 Spain 2582 32 432.0
24 Yugoslavia 2542 32 427.5
25 Estonia 2530 32 421.0
26 United States 2627 31½ 449.0
27 Romania 2524 31½ 445.0
28 Slovakia 2552 31½ 442.5
29 Canada 2482 31½ 430.0
30 Scotland 2455 31½ 418.5
31 Lithuania 2490 31½ 414.0
32 Belarus 2577 31½ 398.5
33 Netherlands 2615 31 459.5
34 Latvia 2493 31 429.0
35 Moldova 2489 31 422.5
36 Australia 2483 31 410.0
37 Vietnam 2505 31 406.0
38 Brazil 2573 30½ 440.0
39 Czech Republic 2607 30½ 432.5
40 Singapore 2467 30½ 403.0
41 Kazakhstan 2564 30 434.5
42 Sweden 2548 30 432.5
43 Croatia 2579 30 427.5
44 Indonesia 2503 30 416.5
45 Finland 2451 30 411.5
46 Azerbaijan 2456 30 410.5
47 Portugal 2354 30 410.0
48 Mongolia 2415 30 407.5
49 Kyrgyzstan 2489 29½ 426.5
50 Egypt 2426 29½ 405.5
51 Ireland 2426 29½ 397.5
52 Norway 2374 29½ 396.5
53 Argentina 2503 29½ 386.5
54 Belgium 2394 29½ 377.5
55 Iceland 2469 29 430.0
56 Italy 2476 29 425.0
57 Chile 2411 29 404.0
58 Bangladesh 2407 29 373.5
59 Turkmenistan 2449 28½ 410.5
60 Austria 2404 28½ 395.5 14
61 Iran 2408 28½ 395.5 13
62 Turkey 2337 28½ 393.5
63 Morocco 2386 28½ 393.0
64 Malaysia 2307 28½ 387.0
65 Peru 2376 28½ 366.5
66 Turkey "B" 2265 28 393.0
67 Faroe Islands 2321 28 385.5
68 Ecuador 2386 28 379.5
69 Andorra 2353 28 379.0
70 South Africa 2221 28 373.5
71 Tunisia 2219 28 372.5
72 Venezuela 2368 27½ 407.5
73 United Arab Emirates 2376 27½ 389.5
74 Luxembourg 2279 27½ 377.5
75 Paraguay 2320 27½ 374.5
76 Myanmar 2528 27 397.5
77 Mexico 2411 27 397.0
78 IBCA 2325 27 391.0
79 Pakistan 2301 27 381.5 12
80 Wales 2276 27 381.5 9
81 Costa Rica 2313 27 379.0
82 Qatar 2228 27 374.0
83 Colombia 2343 26½ 393.0
84 Angola 2060 26½ 375.5
85 Iraq 2365 26 396.5
86 Syria 2321 26 388.5
87 New Zealand 2352 26 386.0
88 Japan 2215 26 379.0
89 Puerto Rico 2202 26 367.5
90 Zambia 2232 25½ 387.0
91 Uruguay 2250 25½ 378.5
92 El Salvador 2185 25½ 370.5
93 Zimbabwe 2210 25½ 360.5
94 Sri Lanka 2081 25½ 356.5
95 Uganda 2218 25½ 351.5
96 Albania 2364 25 388.5
97 Cyprus 2253 25 374.5
98 Bolivia 2257 25 370.0
99 Yemen 2299 25 369.0
100 Liechtenstein 2121 25 336.5
101 Barbados 2057 25 331.5
102 Jamaica 2234 24½ 367.0
103 Kenya 2126 24½ 353.5
104 Suriname 2051 24½ 342.0
105 Honduras 2123 24 363.0
106 Botswana 2093 24 349.0
107 Netherlands Antilles 2159 24 346.0
108 Palestine 2087 24 333.0
109 Namibia 2152 24 305.5
110 Malta 2212 23½ 354.5
111 Monaco 2210 23½ 342.5
112 Macau 2190 23½ 330.0
113 Hong Kong 2108 23½ 326.5
114 Ethiopia 2079 23½ 319.5 13
115 Mauritania 2000 23½ 319.5 11
116 Panama 2058 23½ 310.5
117 Jersey 2145 23½ 301.5
118 Trinidad and Tobago 2214 23
119 San Marino 2051 22½
120 Bermuda 2006 20½
121 Brunei 2000 20 298.5
122 Seychelles 2056 20 297.5
123 Papua New Guinea 2051 19½
124 Guernsey 2092 18½
125 United States Virgin Islands 2020 13½
126 Rwanda 2000 7½

Individual medals

Women's results

The women's division was contested by 86 teams representing 84 nations. Turkey, as hosts, fielded two teams, whilst the International Braille Chess Association entered one squad.

Defending champions China were huge favourites on rating and retained their title, led by reigning world champion Xie Jun and with two future champions in the team: Zhu Chen and Xu Yuhua. Georgia and Russia took the silver and bronze medals, respectively.

# Country Players Average
rating		 Points Buchholz
1 China Xie Jun, Zhu Chen, Xu Yuhua, Wang Lei 2537 32
2 Georgia Chiburdanidze, Ioseliani, Khurtsidze, Gurieli 2480 31
3 Russia Galliamova, Kovalevskaya, Matveeva, Stepovaya-Dianchenko 2480 28½
4 Ukraine Zhukova, Zatonskih, Vasilevich, Sedina 2442 27
5 Yugoslavia Marić, Bojković, Prudnikova, Chelushkina 2430 26
6 Netherlands Zhaoqin Peng, Sziva, Bosboom-Lanchava, Jap Tjoen San 2329 25½
7 Hungary Mádl, Lakos, Grábics, Gara 2369 25 342.0
8 Germany Kachiani-Gersinska, Paehtz, Koglin, Trabert 2364 25 333.5
9 England Hunt, Lalic, Houska, Richards 2349 25 325.5
10 Armenia Danielian, Mkrtchian, Hlgatian, Aginian 2303 24½ 342.5
# Country Average
rating		 Points Buchholz MP
11 Romania 2350 24½ 333.0
12 Moldova 2385 24 328.5
13 India 2272 24 328.0
14 Poland 2386 24 323.5
15 United States 2261 24 316.0
16 Bulgaria 2328 23½ 324.5
17 Cuba 2302 23½ 317.0
18 Latvia 2249 23½ 303.0
19 Kazakhstan 2299 23 325.0
20 Israel 2325 23 300.5
21 Azerbaijan 2251 22½ 334.5
22 Czech Republic 2271 22½ 334.0
23 Vietnam 2367 22½ 329.0
24 Belarus 2325 22½ 326.5
25 Spain 2251 22½ 320.0
26 Greece 2295 22½ 312.5
27 Australia 2188 22½ 306.0
28 Slovakia 2305 22½ 305.0
29 Estonia 2239 22½ 302.5
30 Lithuania 2237 22 321.0
31 Uzbekistan 2171 22 307.0
32 Croatia 2254 22 304.5
33 Mongolia 2162 22 301.5
34 Finland 2148 22 300.0
35 Portugal 2065 22 296.0
36 Bosnia and Herzegovina 2237 21½ 313.5
37 Bangladesh 2050 21½ 305.0
38 Sweden 2188 21½ 303.0
39 France 2269 21½ 296.5
40 Philippines 2070 21½ 294.5
41 Austria 2170 21 309.5
42 Denmark 2108 21 305.5
43 Turkmenistan 2233 21 304.0
44 Switzerland 2162 21 300.0
45 Slovenia 2207 21 297.0 14
46 Ecuador 2309 21 297.0 12
47 Macedonia 2122 21 295.0
48 Italy 2039 21 281.0
49 Venezuela 2101 20½ 301.5
50 Kyrgyzstan 2123 20½ 295.5
51 Argentina 2146 20½ 287.5
52 IBCA 2122 20½ 285.5
53 Iran 2008 20½ 285.0
54 Wales 2053 20½ 280.5
55 Indonesia 2080 20½ 272.0
56 Norway 2062 20 297.5
57 Brazil 2151 20 294.0
58 Scotland 2084 20 291.0
59 Canada 2070 20 274.0
60 Malaysia 2061 20 268.0
61 Ireland 2035 20 239.0
62 Mexico 2069 19½ 296.0
63 Turkey 2032 19½ 286.5
64 United Arab Emirates 2000 19½ 274.5
65 Costa Rica 2000 19½ 262.5
66 Japan 2000 19½ 259.0
67 Turkey "B" 2000 19½ 256.5
68 Colombia 2159 19 279.5
69 Albania 2077 19 266.0
70 Guatemala 2070 19 257.0
71 South Africa 2050 18½ 270.0
72 Iraq 2061 18½ 268.5
73 El Salvador 2015 18½ 262.0
74 New Zealand 2000 18½ 243.5
75 Morocco 2000 18½ 242.0
76 Puerto Rico 2000 18½ 233.5
77 Syria 2000 18 257.0
78 Iceland 2042 18 246.5
79 Singapore 2000 18 238.5
80 Sri Lanka 2000 18 232.5
81 Botswana 2000 18 224.5
82 Angola 2000 14½ 225.0
83 Zambia 2000 14½ 224.5
84 Macau 2000 10½
85 Yemen 2000 7½
86 United States Virgin Islands 2021 2½

Individual medals

Overall title

The Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy is awarded to the nation that has the best average rank in the open and women's divisions. 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		 Average
1 Russia 1 3 2
2 Ukraine 3 4 3½
3 Georgia 6 2 4
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