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Five GMs for Olympiad

Sports Reporter
Chess
Bangladesh will be vying for an improved performance when they set off for Istanbul tomorrow to take part in the 40th Chess Olympiad which will be held from August 28 to September 11. Bangladesh have an added incentive to do well this time as this is the first time all five Grand Masters are taking part. Grand Masters Abdullah Al Rakib and Enamul Hossain Razeeb are back after a long stand-off with the Bangladesh Chess Federation (BCF), which will no doubt motivate the three other Grand Masters Niaz Murshed, Ziaur Rahman and Reefat bin Sattar.
However, the men's team which finished 73rd among 149 teams in the last edition in 2010 in Moscow, have not set any specific targets for the tournament as they feel long lay-offs from the game may tell on their performance. Razeeb last took part in a competitive tournament last year while Rakeeb is back after a three-year break.
“It is better to have Grand Masters in the side, rather than FIDE or International Masters. But since they were away from the game
for a long time, it will be difficult for them to do something great,” opined the subcontinent's first GM Niaz Murshed.
Razeeb himself admitted to being rusty. “I have had good preparation. However, it would have been better if I could take part in some competitions before the Olympiad," said Razeeb.
There is bad news however for the women's team as the country's highest-ranked female player International Master Shamima Akter Liza withdrew from the tournament for studies. FIDE Master Zakia Sultana has been drafted in to replace her while the other members of the team are IM Rani Hamid, Shamima Sharmin Shirin, Nazrana Khan Eva and Mahmuda Chowdhury Moli.
The men's best performance to date is a 35th-position finish out of 140 teams in the 2002 edition while the women's best came way back in 1992 when they finished 27th among 62 teams.
The present Bangladesh contingent includes four federation officials, three inspection officials and three family members of the players, apart from the ten players, who will be bearing their own expenses,
SEE PAGE 17 COL 1 FROM PAGE 16
it was said at the press conference arranged at the National Sports Council Auditorium yesterday.
162 countries have registered for the open phase of the men's competition this time while the women's section features 131 nations. Each team will play 11 rounds in Swiss League system.