Powerful Olympic Teams Set for Tromso
July 4, 2014
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Two powerful American teams head to the Olympiad in Tromso, Norway (August 1-15) next month. Open team captain IM John Donaldson told CLO, "Both teams will be rated in the top 10 and have chances to reach the podium if they prepare hard and play well."

Several players are making their Olympic debuts, including GM Sam Shankland. "Sam played a key role in the US Winning the Pan-American teams in Brazil in 2013," Donaldson said, who is optimistic about the team's chances. He also notes that Akobian is at his all-time FIDE rating high (2651) and ranked for the first time among the top 100 players in the world.

WGMs Katerina Nemcova and Anna Sharevich are debuting for the US Olympic teams but have each played in several Olympiads for the Czech Republic and Belarus. Both have been rated among the top 100 women in the world.

GMs Wesley So & Yury Shulman are the US team coaches.

Open (in rating order)


1. Hikaru Nakamura #5 in the world
2. Gata Kamsky #33
3. Alex Onischuk #89
4. Varuzhan Akobian #100
5. Sam Shankland
Captain John Donaldson

Womens (in rating order)


1. GM Irina Krush #23
2. IM Anna Zatonskih #30
3. IM Tatev Abrahamyan #91
4. WGM Katerina Nemcova
5. WGM Anna Sharevich
Captain GM Melikset Khachiyan