Morning in Prague

After the Czech Republic declared a 30-day state of emergency over the coronavirus outbreak, closing its borders to travellers from 15 countries and banning public events with more than 30 people, inevitably the organisers had to call an early end to the 8th World Senior Team Chess Championship (50+) and (65+). Thus, after 7 of the 9 scheduled Rounds, the U.S. team “USA” — represented (in board order) by Alexander Anatolyevich Shabalov, Gregory Zinovyevich Kaidanov, Joel Benjamin, Igor Aleksandrovich Novikov, and Alex Vladislavovich Yermolinsky — and the Russian team “Russia” — composed (in board order) by Yuri Sergeyevich Balashov, Evgeny Ellinovich Sveshnikov, Nukhim Nikolayevich Rashkovsky, Evgenij Veniaminovich Kalegin, and Vladimir Victorovich Zhelnin — were declared winners in the categories 50+ and 65+, respectively, with two days in advance. An award ceremony took place in the evening, to which only the winners of each category had access. And apparently tomorrow in Prague there might be a solemn change of the guard, because, as reported in a news release from the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), Vice World Chess Champion Fabiano Caruana should pass by the Václav Havel Airport Prague on his way to Russia.

They are, the over 50s, pictured from left to right: Yermolinsky, Benjamin, Shabalov, Novikov, and Kaidanov. Photo: Vladimír Jágr.

And they are, the over 65s, pictured from left to right: Zhelnin (second), Sveshnikov (third), Kalegin (fourth), and Rashkovky (sixth). Photo: Vladimír Jágr.