Update on the Gashimov saga
Perhaps the most significant story in the run-up to this year’s Olympiad was the Azerbaijan team’s decision to leave out Vugar Gashimov. They paid the price at the chess board (finishing 12th), but there were also more problems between the team and captain during the event, and conflict continues to rage now it’s over.
Vladimir Malakhov: chess player, nuclear physicist
There’s an urban myth that Vladimir Malakhov, rated 2725, a World Cup semifinalist and on the Russian 1st team for the Olympiad, is an amateur chess player. He sets the record straight in an interview with Wojciech Gryciuk for the Polish Chess Federation website, while also making some startling revelations about top-level chess.
Rauf Mamedov on the Chinese School
Rauf Mamedov lost to a Chinese player in the first round of the World Cup, but was far from singing the praises of Chinese chess.
