The Week in Chess

There has been some mystery as to the climbing number of Russian Teams in the Men's (Open) Olympiad. As hosts Russia would be expected to field an additional team. They were also given the right for the local organisers (Ugra) to field a team making the number climb to three. They then have fielded a second team making it four. Now there is a fifth team.

So Russia-1 has Kramnik on top board, Russia-2 Ian Nepomniachtchi (effectively a rising stars team), Russia-3 is the Ugra-Region first team with Dmitry Jakovenko, Russia-4 is the Ugra-Region second team with Kalmykia's young GM Sanan Sjugirov on top board. Russia-5 with Pavel Potapov on top board is one can only presume there to make the numbers even, but that is speculation. This is really too many teams (in my opinion the hosts should have two at a maximum and even that should be reviewed) and apparently there have been complaints.