Dominica to compete in 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest

Chess players from Dominica are gearing up to compete in the 45th Chess Olympiad, taking place in Budapest, Hungary, from September 10 to 23, 2024. The delegation from Dominica consists of five male and five female competitors, who will participate in the Open and Women’s Tournaments, respectively. Additionally, Mr. Ian Dorival, the president of the Dominica Chess Federation, will serve as a delegate at the FIDE 2024 Congress, which is also scheduled in Budapest from September 17 to 22.

The players representing Dominica, listed in board order, are: Robert Bridet, Jones Murphy, Larry Thomas, Nigel Francis, and Lyndon Auguiste for the Open Tournament; and Ayani Casimir, Liudmila Domennova, Zahidu Henry, Desalee Daniel, and Dorothy Jno Baptiste for the Women’s Tournament. These athletes were selected based on their outstanding performances in the National tournaments held earlier this year.

The Chess Olympiad is a prestigious event organized biennially by FIDE (the International Chess Federation), which governs the sport of chess. This tournament features national teams competing for gold medals, trophies, and the title of the strongest chess nation globally. Over 190 teams are expected to participate in the Open section of this year’s event. The Olympiad will consist of 11 rounds and will follow a Swiss team format with classical time controls of 90 minutes plus a 30-second increment. The team accumulating the highest match points at the conclusion of the tournament will be declared the winner. Notably, this year marks the first time the Dominica Chess Federation has fielded a Women’s team, aligning with FIDE’s initiative to promote female participation in chess.

The teams have undergone rigorous training over the past several months, with international coaches dedicated to enhancing their performance levels.

Dominica’s involvement in the 45th Chess Olympiad is made possible through sponsorship from FIDE and the Dominica Olympic Committee.

“Our heartfelt thanks to the DOC for its continued partnership and investment in the Federation which makes possible the fulfillment of our mandate to showcase and improve chess on the island,” The Dominica Chess Federation relayed via statement.