Moldovan Chess Federation Secretary Valeriu Coada believes that the Moldovan national team has won a “sensational victory” at the 44th Chess Olympiad held in India, where Moldovan players won 4th-6th places in the tournament that was contested by 188 teams.           

Speaking at a news conference held in Infotag on Monday, Coada stated that, “Our young chess players have continued the success of their teachers – renowned maestros Dmitry Svetushkin, Viorel Bologan and Viorel Iordachescu. The young ones are international masters Ion Schitco, Andrei Macovei, Iulian Baltag and Dragos Ceres, as well as grand master Vladimir Hamitevici, who represented the Republic of Moldova at the Olympiad in India”.      

“Our republic has laid down the traditions of a very good chess school, and the experience of masters is passed on from the older generation to the younger. At the strongest tournament in India, Moldovan players showed both skill and an open desire to play offensively and to win, despite whatever celebrities”, Coada stressed.

Thus, Ion Schitco played a draw with the reigning world champion, Norwegian Magnus Carlsen.     

Andrei Macovei remarked that, “The effective playing was achieved thanks to a positive atmosphere in the team and to a tradition of each one’s playing for the sake of others the game for each other – the tradition promoted and upheld by the captain and coach of the national team Ruslan Soltanici”.   

The 44th FIDE World Chess Olympiad was held from July 29 to August 9 in the Indian city of Chennai.