12 October 2010

Olympiad Records

A few weeks ago I received an email saying,

The reason I'm writing is to find out more about an article at Susan Polgar's blogspot website. She writes that Kramnik is "closing in on a record" of consecutive Olympiad games without a loss. She didn't say who has the current record, in the Men's, or how many games is the record??

Closing in on the record
http://susanpolgar.blogspot.com/2010/10/closing-in-on-record.html

Do you know who holds the current record for this, in the 'Men's' division, and how many games it is?? I was thinking Tal, or Portisch maybe?

Having no answer, I forwarded the message to Olimpbase.org, who promptly replied,

Before 2010 Kramnik's score was 32,5 of 47 (18 wins 29 draws, no loss) so he played 55 games overall (stats after 2010 Olympiad). In fact, he is the one to have played most games ever at the Olympiad and lose none.

Men's Chess Olympiads' Overall Statistics
http://www.OlimpBase.org/statistics/all_id09.html

That's the Record no. #1. As for record no. #2 (longest no-loss run) he is far behind current holder Tigran Petrosian, who conceded no loss on his first 7 appearances on the olympiads (1958-1970) only to lose once in 1972, in his game #96. His loss to Hubner is actually the sole one among 103 games!

Petrosian, Tigran
http://www.olimpbase.org/players/ikkqkgyh.html

Read more Olympic trivia here:

Men's Chess Olympiads Trivia
http://www.olimpbase.org/articles/trivia.html

I've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again: Thanks, Olimpbase!

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