2010 NZ Olympiad teams

[Garrett]

good point.

[Tony Dowden]

Assuming the top candidates apply, I don't think there will be more than 1 player who feels hard done by: Zhao, Smerdon, Xie and Johansen are almost a given (and probably in that order), while Wohl and Solomon both have legitimate claims to the 5th spot.

Suggest someone puts this and subsequent related posts in an Aussie OL thread ...

[Tony Dowden]

My NZ men's team is:

1. IM Puchen Wang
2. GM Murray Chandler
3. IM Russell Dive
4. IM Anthony Ker
5. FM Roger Nokes
Reserve: FM-elect Mike Steadman

[Capablanca-Fan]

My NZ men's team is:

1. IM Puchen Wang
2. GM Murray Chandler
3. IM Russell Dive
4. IM Anthony Ker
5. FM Roger Nokes
Reserve: FM-elect Mike Steadman

For reference, here are the current FIDE ratings (Chandler is here):

#	Name			Title	Fed	Rating	 G	B-Year
 0	 Chandler, Murray G	 g	 NZL	 2518	 0	 1960
 1	 Wang, Puchen	 	 m	 NZL	 2476	 9	 1990
 2	 Dive, Russell John	 m	 NZL	 2371	 0	 1966
 3	 Ker, Anthony F		 m	 NZL	 2321	 0	 1967
 4	 Nokes, Roger I	 	 f	 NZL	 2305	 13	 1958
 5	 Garbett, Paul Anthony	 m	 NZL	 2302	 0	 1952
 6	 Smith, Robert W	 f	 NZL	 2289	 0	 1953
 7	 Croad, Nicolas	 	 f	 NZL	 2271	 0	  
 8	 Watson, Bruce R	 f	 NZL	 2270	 0	 c.1960
 9	 Steadman, Michael	(f) 	 NZL	 2263	 0	 c.1960
 10	 Hart, Ralph	 		 NZL	 2244	 0	  
 10	 Lukey, Stephen G	 f	 NZL	 2244	 0	 c.1967
 12	 Spain, Graeme	 	 	 NZL	 2217	 0	 1962

Ratings should count for something, and so should a being the current title holder. I don't think Wang has surpassed Chandler even though he is no longer in the world's top 30 as he was a quarter of a century ago. The rest of the list is reasonable.

[Desmond]

Are there minimum activity requirements to be eligible?

[CivicChessMan]

NZCF has called for "Expressions of Interest" for the Olympiad in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia. An Expression of Interest is not an application for selection, but will ensure that those who are interested in selection will be informed directly about news and developments related to the Olympiad. It is expected that applications for selection will close on April 16th, allowing players to include the results of major events taking place around Easter in their applications. The NZCF Selection Panel intends to finalise selections in early May.

I reckon the venue will have a significant bearing on who may be available. Khanty-Maniysk isn't exactly well known and sounds a bit of challenge to get there. FIDE will arrange charter flights from Dubai, Prague, Milan and Munich. The average temperature in September is 4-8C. Brrrrr!

But let's assume that anyone who is anyone is available and pick a team. Tony's team looks just right but I think Chandler should be on top board.

1. Murray Chandler - New Zealand's only GM and still number one.
2. Puchen Wang - will he get time off from his studies in Texas?
3. Russell Dive
4. Anthony Ker
5. Roger Nokes - Nokes was outstanding in Dresden.

Reserves:
1. Mike Steadman
2. Nic Croad - heading off to London shortly to seek his fortune.
3. Bob Smith

However, I believe that some of the above will not be available so there could be some surprises in store.

PS: There are no minimum activity requirements.

[Tony Dowden]

Tony's team looks just right but I think Chandler should be on top board.

Fair enough, to some extent I was being provocative but on the other hand Murray Chandler is even older than me(!) and isn't exactly active at present. Also there might be a case for swapping board orders with Wang and Chandler for strategic reasons related to GM norm possibilities for Wang and/or maximising the team score.

I don't think Bob Smith should be 3rd reserve though, especially not after his last Olympiad effort where his Elo perf was around 1800. Smith has been a stalwart team membner - ever since the Haifa Olympiad(!) but I reckon he's done his dash now. I would definitely rank Stephen Lukey and probably Bruce Watson ahead of Smith. Admittedly I might be biased by my good record against Smith in our last half dozen or so games - where over 10 years I've never looking like losing and won a couple of games convincingly - but I don't think so.

[Capablanca-Fan]

Fair enough, to some extent I was being provocative but on the other hand Chander is even older than me (by about six months) and isn't exactly active at present.

But Nokes is even more ancient than both of you ...

Also there might be a case for swapping board orders with Wang and Chandler for strategic reasons relatde to GM norms for Wang.

That's reasonable. But top board might be harder work, so it's hard to know what would be best for this purpose.

Seems safest to go by rating order unless there are clearcut reasons not to, e.g. there should probably be some deference to a current NZ Champ.

[CivicChessMan]

Sources say that Murray Chandler, Puchen Wang and Anthony Ker are unlikely to be available while Russell Dive is undecided. So if all of these guys are gone, is there a place for Tony Dowden in the team ? I'd expect Bob Smith to make the team now. He has the Olympiad experience and hopefully, Dresden was just a bad day at the office.

[Oepty]

Sources say that Murray Chandler, Puchen Wang and Anthony Ker are unlikely to be available while Russell Dive is undecided. So if all of these guys are gone, is there a place for Tony Dowden in the team ? I'd expect Bob Smith to make the team now. He has the Olympiad experience and hopefully, Dresden was just a bad day at the office.

Not looking good then. Who is definitely going to apply? Nokes, Steadman, Croad, Smith, Watson, Lukey, Shen, Garbett????
Adamski's longshot call on Lukey is starting to look good.
Scott

[Tony Dowden]

Sources say that Murray Chandler, Puchen Wang and Anthony Ker are unlikely to be available while Russell Dive is undecided. So if all of these guys are gone, is there a place for Tony Dowden in the team ? I'd expect Bob Smith to make the team now. He has the Olympiad experience and hopefully, Dresden was just a bad day at the office.

Tony Dowden is not a starter - he only plays in Olympiads once every 20 years: Lucerne 1982, Bled 2002, ???? 2022

[Tony Dowden]

But Nokes is even more ancient than both of you ...

Yes ... but don't you think there's something suspiciously Peter Pan-esque about Roger? I mean 22 years between his first two Olympiads is outrageous (just when I thought I might have some kind of record back at Bled, 2002).

[Bereaved]

Hi everyone,

I know that I am treading in Foreign territory ...but I think that sending Daniel Shen would be worthwhile, should he be available. I was greatly impressed by his play in Queenstown 09

Take care and God Bless, Macavity

[flukey]

Hi all,

I think the main selection issue is simply finding 5 people to go that have some level of competence. As people have noted, Siberia in late Autumn is not everyone's cup of tea ... . And just who would look forward to a flight NZ-Oz-Dubai-Moscow-Khanty??? Especially in light of the little gem from the organisers that due to "financial constraints" the promised redevelopment of the airport won't go ahead but we might lengthen the runway a little!

My understanding is similar to CivicChessMan's that the top four players may be out (my top four being Chandler, Wang, Ker, Dive in that order). If they had of been available I would have picked those 4 and then Croad (he is a little up and down but very good at his best, which could be said about Garbett, Nokes, Steadman, myself, and Smith but the difference is Croad is in his 20s rather than 40s or 50s!!!!). Shen might fit in in 2012 or 2014 but not now.

When I played in Dresden, the team was Chandler, Dive, Smith, Nokes, and me. While not full strength, it was still exciting playing in a team that met such good opposition (Ukraine, Bosnia, Turkey, etc etc). Givem my play has slipped in the last couple of years, I almost have the Groucho Marx view - I don't want to play for any team desperate enough to select me!!!! But I might still put my name forward as if I do make the team, my public servant empoyer has to give me paid "representing NZ leave", lol.

Flukey

[Solo]

It will be a great pity if those top four don't go. Is Fludey eligible? = 2nd in the Ranges summer sizzler! I hope you make the team Flukey!

Has the other young Daniel, Daniel Baider, been playing? Bruce Watson would make the team too, but again I don't think he would go unfortunately.

Anyway my 2 bob's worth in order is: Chandler, Wang, Ker, Dive, Nokes, Croad, Shen, Steadman, Watson, Smith, Lukey, Baider. ... Others who haven't been playing are Ben Martin and Alexei Kulashko.