Armenia's men win Istanbul Chess Olympiad

By Metin Demirsar

ISTANBUL - Armenia won the 40th World Chess Olympiad after defeating Hungary 2.5 points to 1.5 points in the 11th and final round of the tournament in Istanbul on Sunday.
Armenia had an identical score with Russia with nine wins, one draw and one loss for 19 points, but took the gold in the open category because of a better tie-break record. Russia was awarded the silver and Ukraine came third with 18 points.
As host of the Olympics, Turkey fielded three men's and three women's teams.
The senior Turkish men's team came 42nd in the open category with six wins, one draw and four losses. Turkey 2016, composed of 14 and 15 year olds, came 48th and Turkey 2023, consisting of promising nine year olds, came 151st.
Fifteen year old Muhammed Batuhan Dastan became the youngest Turkish chess grandmaster (GM) by scoring 7.5 points out of a possible 10, during which he defeated and drew some of the world's top players. He also became one of the youngest players in the world ever to become a chess GM.

Russian women
Russia won the women's tournament with 19 points.
Although it had an identical score with China with eight wins, three draws and no losses, it had a better tie-break score, and won the gold medal. China took the silver and Ukraine won the bronze medals.
Turkey's senior women's team came 42nd. Turkey's 2016 team placed 59th and Turkey2023 was 95th.
Betul Cemre Yildiz won the bronze medal on table two of the women's tournament and became an international master (IM).

Turk Wins Istanbul Chess Festival 
In a separate tournament, held in conjunction with the Olympiad, Turkish FIDE Master (FM) Dogal Heval Reyhan won the nine-round 11th International Chess Festival. Armenian GM Levon Babujian came second  and Georgia's IM Davit Maghalashvili placed third.  In the Category B tournament, where lower rated players took part, Georgia's Alexandre Ebralidze won first place.