Philippine President Corazon Aquino opened the 30th Chess Olympiad with teams from 92 nations competing for world titles long dominated by the Soviet Union.
Aquino and world champion Gary Kasparov made the symbolic opening moves to begin the three-week competition. Aquino opened with a queen's gambit, which Kasparov accepted for a symbolic draw, Robert H. Reid of the Associated Press reported.Kasparov, a native of Azerbaijan, chose to play for Russia. His team, which inherited the seat vacated by the former Soviet Union, faces a strong challenge by teams from Britain, the United States and the newly independent Ukraine.
The U.S. team is powered by three Soviet emigres: young Gata Kamsky, Alexander Yermolinsky and Boris Gulko. The team hopes to topple the Russians from the top perch when the tournament ends June 25.
Kamsky, ever the modest player, said, "I am not satisfied with my team" after the third-seeded Americans lost to Lithuania 11/2 to 21/2 when Joel Benjamin lost in 50 moves of a Sicilian defense to Lithuania's Ruzele. In disgust, Kamsky left the playing hall with his father. (Reminding one of Ted Patakis' observation, "Does chess have any other element in it besides ego?")
After the fifth round, the standings were (and here your knowledge of geography will be stretched):
Russia, 16 points; Uzbekistan, Netherlands, 141/2; Ukraine, Iceland, Kyrgyzstan, 14; United States, Georgia (one adjourned), 131/2; England, 131/2; Sweden, Hungary, Bulgaria, Armenia, Latvia, 13; Israel (one adjourned), 121/2; Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kazakhstan, Romania, Estonia, Poland, Czechoslovakia, 121/2.
Standings of the women's Olympiad teams, after five rounds:
Ukraine (one adjourned), 111/2; Georgia, 111/2; Hungary, 11; United States, Netherlands (one adjourned), 101/2; Kazakhstan, 101/2; Azerbaijan, Romania, Lithuania, 10; China, Czechoslovakia, England, Moldova, 91/2; German, Estonia (one adjourned), 91/2; Poland, Switzerland, Kirghizia, Latvia, Greece, 9.
AP wire reports have not yet indicated the names of the players on the U.S. women's team.
Even without two of its strongest players, the Russian team, up to this point, has retained the leadership in scores.
Anatoly Karpov indicated he was too busy to play this tournament, though some of the players said that Karpov skipped the Manila competition because he was bitterly disappointed by his loss to Nigel Short in his match in Linares, Spain, that eliminated him from the world title matches.
Kasparov told reporters that Arthur Yusupov asked for steep requirements that the Russian Chess Federation could not meet.
- SPEEDSTERS - The Utah "Quick-Chess" championship will be held Saturday, June 27, at the Wilkinson Center at Brigham Young University in Provo.
During the five rounds each player will have a total of 10 minutes to play the complete game. The tournament will permit players to establish their "quick-chess" ratings. Membership in the United States Chess Federation (USCF) is required (join or renew at the playing site).
The entry fee is $10 if received by Thursday, June 25, and $15 at the playing site.
The cash awards will be made up from 100 percent of the advanced entry fees. The first-place winner will receive 40 percent of the prize money and be the Utah "quick-chess" titleholders.
Class A, B, C, D-E winners will each receive 15 percent of the prize fund.
Registration will be at 9 a.m. The schedule calls for two rounds an hour.
Entries should be sent to Jeff D. Robison, 1484 S. 400 East, Orem, UT 84058. The tournament is sponsored by the BYU Chess Club and the Utah Chess Association.
- CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SOLVERS: Ted Pathakis, Knute Petersen, Jim Reed, Hans Rubner, Vern Smith, Edwin O. Smith, Edwin Schere, Jeff Thelin, Ardean Watts, Eugene Wagstaff, Warner Young, Steven Anderson, Loile Bailey, Kim Barney, Ramon E. Bassett, Daniel Barlow, Alan E. Brown, O. Kent Berg, Jack Crandall, George L. Cavanaugh, Farrell Clark, Bryan Chamberlain, William DeVroom, Ken Frost, Ed Felt, Gordon W. Greene, Steven Ivie, Hal Harmon, Brian Harrow, Alison Hermance, David Higley, Steven Jensen, Raeburn Kennard, Nathan Kennard, Steven Kennard, Hal Knight, Frank Knight, Jim Low, Kay Lundstrom, Connie Miller, Lincoln McClellan, Dr. Kim James Michelson, Gary Neumann, Roger Neumann, Elsa Oldroyd.