Photos from the 2010 Olympiad

[Christopher Kreuzer]

I recently went through the photo albums on the official Olympiad website and the following collection of links is of ones that might be of interest (or not). Ideally, they would be on a proper photo-sharing website where people could tag them and create sets to share (like I'm attempting to do here), but this seems to be the only way to link to the photos put up by the organisers (I'm sure the main photo-sharing websites have photo collections as well, but I wanted to pick out some of those from the official website here). It might seem like a lot of links below, but there were hundreds of photos and the following is only a relatively small selection.

The photos I've picked out are mainly the England team, plus a number of general shots that I thought were amusing or different. There are a few of members of the Ireland team (some of the men and one of the women). I don't know the Wales or Scotland teams or enough of the other British women's teams by sight to have been able to spot any pictures of them. If anyone has seen any pictures of the England women, it might be worth posting them here like I've done for these ones.

Michael Adams of England in R1 against Malaysia (Adams drew with Hafizulhelmi Mas and England won 3.5-0.5):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#14

Ireland going down 3.5-0.5 to Russia 1 in R1 (two pictures, the draw came from Sam Collins on board 1 against 2700+ GM Grishuk):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#28
http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#29

Arbiters holding up their hands, presumably to signal to the main control desk that their matches are ready to start and/or that everyone has arrived for the games:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#11

Veselin Topalov stumping for Danilov's European Chess Union presidency bid (which succeeded):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#13

Magnus Carlsen's secret weapon (milkshake?) mis-firing against Jobava of Georgia in R4 (clearly only Norwegian milkshakes do the trick):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#57

The 'trinkets to improve your chess play' stall proves popular, though some look sceptical:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#90
http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#92
http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#94

Presumably the main entrance to the venue:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... h-Round/#9

Security checks at the venue (just the sort of thing to take photographs of):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#11

People looking at the results (this was a boring round for pictures):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#57

Information desk for the excursions (rest day coming up soon):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#85

Such a boring round, some reading material to help pass the time:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#97

This object appeared in another picture here (is it a Monroi game recording device, or just a Kindle e-book reader?):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#20

Michael Adams of England waiting to start his R6 game against Magnus Carlsen of Norway (Adams would win this game and England would win the match 2.5-1.5):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... h-Round/#3

Two pictures of Magnus Carlsen signing something (possibly a programme for someone?) before his loss to Michael Adams (Adams in second picture):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#11
http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#71

Luke McShane of England preparing for the R6 game against Norway, or possibly recovering (was the party the night before?) - this is the game that went on for well over 100 moves:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#55

Semaphore signal to the main desk (McShane's game has ended in a draw!):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#99

Vladimir Kramnik (Russia 1, board 1) looking puzzled as he opens an envelope at the board (add your caption here!):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#61

Someone looking through what I think are the tournament bulletins, which look nice and glossy, with diagrams:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... Round/#113

Some random players in the foreground, and in the background the boards for the England-Belarus match (R7), as shown by the table-side stand listing the board pairings:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#19

Nigel Short of England, who lost horribly in this R7 match against Belarus (this is the position after 10.Nxc6 - from the look on his face, maybe he had a premonition of what was to come?):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#70

Three pictures of what I presume are Ireland players before their R8 match against Colombia (which Ireland would lose 3.5-0.5, with Sam Collins again getting the only half point):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#19
http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#34
http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#57

Gawain Jones of England in R8 in his game against Niclas Huschenbeth of Germany (Jones won and England won 3.5-0.5):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#80

David Howell and Gawain Jones of England in the R8 match against Germany that England would win 3.5-0.5 with both the England players here winning (Howell beat Falko Bindrich, while Jones beat Niclas Huschenbeth):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#81

The other half of the England-Germany R8 match, with Luke McShane playing Sebastian Bogner (the game would be drawn) and Michael Adams (only partly seen) playing Rainer Buhmann (Adams would win this game):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#82

Someone reading a chess book or journal with what looks like Magnus Carlsen on the front cover:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#94

The Ireland women's team playing Mozambique in R8 (Ireland would win 3.5-0.5, only conceding a draw on board 1, at far left in this picture):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#97

Hikaru Nakamura (USA board 1) reading a book before R9:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#53

Michael Adams and Luke McShane of England in the opening moves of the R9 match against Russia 3 (both these games and the match would end in a draw - the first picture shows just the England players, the second one shows their opponents, Dmitry Jakovenko and Alexandr Motylev respectively):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#66
http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... Round/#131

This picture shows the England players on the other two boards in the Russia 3-England match (David Howell on board 3 would lose, while Gawain Jones would win on board 4):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... Round/#126

Someone sitting on the chess throne, complete with mammoth tusk:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#67

I think this must have been election day, two photos with Kirsan election slogans in the background (the first has a nicer foreground!):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... Round/#143
http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... Round/#151

A woman proudly displaying the Jersey flag:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... Round/#155

Gawain Jones of England next to the listing for the R10 match against the Netherlands (which was drawn 2-2, with four draws):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#28

Unknown players in the foreground, with the top two boards of the drawn R10 England-Netherlands match visible in the background (Michael Adams drew with Loek Van Wely, while Nigel Short drew with Jan Smeets):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#55

Luke McShane of England in his R10 game against Anish Giri of the Netherlands (both this game and the match were drawn):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#56

A surprise guest appearance by a Liverpool striker:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#64

Chess memorabilia:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#83

On the lower boards, Malawi playing Aruba in R10 (the match ended in a draw):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#92

England GM Jon Speelman supporting the England cause in R10 (Anish Giri at right, board pairings at bottom, all four games were drawn):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... Round/#110

Joe Gallagher (British GM and Swiss citizen, now playing for Switzerland) during the R10 match between Switzerland and India - Gallagher was on board two and drew against Pentala Harikrishna, while overall India won the match 3-1, putting an end to a three-match winning streak by Switzerland:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... Round/#115

A collection of random bookstall pictures:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#11
http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#12
http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#69
http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#29
http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#17

And finally, does anyone know what the container at lower right is in this picture? It looks like something has been pickled in oil, but maybe it is just tea:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#18

[Michael Jones]

Magnus Carlsen's secret weapon (milkshake?) mis-firing against Jobava of Georgia in R4 (clearly only Norwegian milkshakes do the trick)

Doesn't he usually drink orange juice? Maybe the change of beverage was what did for him; then again, the photo before his game against Adams show he'd returned to his usual choice by then, and it didn't do much better.

Someone reading a chess book or journal with what looks like Magnus Carlsen on the front cover

A rudimentary knowledge of the Cyrillic alphabet confirms that that's what the title looks like too.

[Geoff Chandler]

Cheers Chris.

http://www.redhotpawn.com/blog/blogread ... gpostid=26

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Cheers Chris.

http://www.redhotpawn.com/blog/blogread ... gpostid=26

<bow> (that's a hilarious follow-up)

After this and the GingerGM blog of the Jobava game (which was similar to my post but it's not difficult to highlight those aspects of that game), I should be charging a commission. Anyway, I'm about to look through the round 11 pics, and I see that the lead picture is one of the England women's match (sadly with no players in the picture). I may remember to look for pictures of the closing ceremony (if there is one) but probably not.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Following this up, these are the pics from round 11 that might be worth a look:

Preparations being made for the England women's match against Australia (they won 3-1):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... h-Round/#1

[If anyone can point to actual pics of the women's team in action, I'd be very grateful]

Er, the female governor/mayor(?) of K-M is back, but what is the fluffy thing?:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... h-Round/#2

OK, the fluffy thing was a mammoth (behind the trophy for youngest participant - maybe they were given the fluffy mammoth toy as well?):

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... h-Round/#4

It's the fluffy mammoth again!

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#12

It looks like there were four young participants, all of whom got some form of fluffy mammoth:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... -Round/#25

Sadly, most of the rest of the pictures were of the politicians smiling for the cameras (plus some pictures of Kramnik and Gelfand among others), but there was this picture, which should bring hope to all those who think the rules of chess are too staid, just move your e-pawn forward three squares on its first move and watch the reaction from your opponent and the spectators:

http://www.ugra-chess.com/sites/default ... Round/#124

[Geoff Chandler]

That last one is good.

Quite a few pictures of security men searching the players had
me thinking they had overheard one of the Russian players
saying they had lost a tempo and these guy were looking for it.

(I believe that's an old Bird tale aout Staunton from the olden golden days)

[Michael Jones]

Cheers Chris.

http://www.redhotpawn.com/blog/blogread ... gpostid=26

Ooh, can I order one please? Although I might need earplugs to stop it falling out.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

It seems that the player with the "chess brain in a jar" (see Geoff's blog post) was super-GM Wang Yue of China!

And I seem to have failed in my efforts to win a prize in the Chessbase competition.

http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6724

It didn't help that I mis-identified Ivan Cheparinov as Baadur Jobava.

Still, all is not lost. Maybe if people here can identify the seven or so players still unidentified, the kind people at Chessbase will send us all free copies of the latest chess software! Or maybe not.

"A number of readers, e.g. Philipp Bouillon of Düren, Germany and James Coleman of London, England, noticed that with some of the pictures right clicking and selecting "properties" revealed the players names."

Now why didn't I think of that!

EDIT: I'm glad I said "seem" above. It seems I spoke too soon about the prizes!

[James Coleman]

Why not indeed

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Why not indeed

Yeah. I wonder what other ways there are of identifying those players. The Google images "similar pictures" function? Flickr? Facebook? It is surprising how easy it is to identify someone if there are other pictures of them out there. But mostly you have to hope someone who knows them sees the Chessbase appeal. Though some people do seem to be able to recognise an awful lot of the top GMs!

[Matt Mackenzie]

Just two left to get now

[LozCooper]

Why not indeed

Yeah. I wonder what other ways there are of identifying those players. The Google images "similar pictures" function? Flickr? Facebook? It is surprising how easy it is to identify someone if there are other pictures of them out there. But mostly you have to hope someone who knows them sees the Chessbase appeal. Though some people do seem to be able to recognise an awful lot of the top GMs!

I also noticed that at least one of the names supplied is wrong so it appears that they don't double check via google or elsewhere that the names supplied are correct before publishing them