Jamaica's men draw, women beaten

Jamaica men's team drew 2-2 with Syria while the women were beaten 4-0 by Denmark as action continued yesterday in the fourth round of the 40th Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey.

Employing a Reti Opening against Ward Al-Tarbosh, Duane Rowe registered the only win for Jamaica as he prevailed in a knight and pawn ending on board 2. FM Warren Elliot and co-national champion Damion Davy both earned draws for the second game in a row, while co-national champion Andrew Mellace lost to Ali Hammoudi in a tense Centre Counter game.

In other fourth-round results, Trinidad and Tobago scored an easy 3.5-0.5 win over Jersey on victories by Ryan Harper, Marcus Joseph, and Ravishen Singh. Barbados were shut out 4-0 by Colombia, Bermuda lost to Turkey, Afghanistan beat Haiti, Canada stop Mongolia, Cuba lost to Iran, and third-round leaders the United States were held to a 2-2 draw by India.

After four rounds Ukraine, Hungary, Armenia and Russia are the leaders with four wins from as many matches, USA 10th, Canada 12th, Cuba 61st, Barbados 101st, Jamaica 104th, Trinidad and Tobago 115th, and Bermuda 151st. As many as 157 nations are competing in the Open section at the 2012 Chess Olympiad.

four from four

In the women's section, Russia and France are in front with four wins from four matches, USA 14th, Cuba 40th, Canada 77th, Jamaica 110th, Barbados 116th, and Trinidad and Tobago 123rd. There are 127 teams in the women's section of the Olympiad.

Jamaica and Barbados clash in today's fifth round in the Open section, Trinidad and Tobago play Denmark, Cuba tackle Venezuela while the United States battle the Czech Republic.

In today's fifth round in the women section, Jamaica meet Uruguay, Barbados engage Kenya, Trinidad and Tobago have Ethiopia, the USA play Vietnam and Cuba engage Germany.

Jamaica and Barbados have met twice at the Chess Olympiad, both times in the 8th round, and on both occasions the matches ended 2-2.

At the 1988 Olympiad in Thessaloniki, Greece, the teams played to draws on boards 1 and 2, while Phillip Roach of Barbados beat Shane Matthews on board 3, and Jamaica's John Powell won against S. McLeod of Barbados on board 4. The only player from the 1988 match in Greece that will play in the fifth round match today is IM Kevin Denny of Barbados.

At the 2002 Olympiad in Bled, Slovenia, all four games were drawn. FM Warren Elliott and IM Jomo Pitterson were members of the Jamaica team in 2002, and are both members of the 2012 Jamaica Olympiad team, while FM Delisle Warner is the only member of the Barbados 2012 Olympiad team who played in the 2002 match against Jamaica.