Chess Olympiad Begins in Dresden

The Summer Olympics in Beijing were a great festival of sporting talent, but chess has never been able to break into the program of events. Luckily, we have our own international competition of nations: the Chess Olympiad, which begins Wednesday in Dresden.

Russia brings the top-rated team to the festivities, led by the murderer's row of Vladimir Kramnik, Alexander Morozevich, Peter Svidler, and Alexander Grishuck. They're followed by Ukraine and China. On the Women's side, the top teams are...Russia, Ukraine and China. It's no secret that Russia and Ukraine have taken up the mantle of the old Soviet teams, while China is the new superpower on the chess block. A quick glance at the teams and players in the competition shows that there will be a lot of competition at the top; among others, the United States, France, Hungary and Armenia are bringing strong teams in both divisions, while Georgia has a formidable Women's team and Azerbaijan will be a contender in the Open section.

Part of the charm of the Olympiad is the wide variety of teams; there are many awards for weaker teams, along with the top competitors. From Russia -- team average rating of 2756 -- to Madagascar (and several similar teams), who lacks a single FIDE-rated player, there are a total of 154 teams in the Open section, and 116 Women's teams. These teams represent not only a wealth of nations, but also teams of blind, deaf and correspondence players. Of all the world's great sporting events, the Chess Olympiad may be the most inclusive.

With most of the strongest players in the world participating (Anand is a notable exception), the Olympiad is a great event for all those who love top-flight chess, but it's also the one time where national pride is truly at stake on the chess board. Over the next two weeks, we can all cheer on our countrymen (and countrywomen) as they try to bring home the gold -- and enjoy some great chess to boot.

One final note: there are a couple of interesting rules worth mentioning this time around. Standings will be determined by match points this year, rather than by game points. There are also some rules of etiquette; players must arrive at the board on time for the game, or they may be forfeited. Also, don't expect any short draws -- draw offers before move 30 are prohibited.