Question 50 from UPSC CSE 2023 - Current Affairs

Question

Consider the following statements in respect of the 44th Chess Olympiad, 2022:
1. It was the first time that the Chess Olympiad was held in India.
2. The official mascot was named 'Thambi'.
3. The trophy for the winning team in the open section is the Vera Menchik Cup.
4. The trophy for the winning team in the women's section is the Hamilton-Russell Cup.
How many of the statements given above are correct?

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. Only two

Strategy: - Evaluate statements by correlating them with notable facts of the 44th Chess Olympiad.
- Verify Statement 1 regarding India's debut as host in 2022.
- Confirm Statement 2 identifying 'Thambi' as the official mascot.
- Precisely associate trophies: the Hamilton-Russell Cup for the Open section and the Vera Menchik Cup for the Women's section.
- Identify swapped trophy associations in Statements 3 and 4, rendering them incorrect, to determine the total count of valid statements.

Key Info: ## 44th Chess Olympiad Details

The 44th Chess Olympiad was an international team chess event held from July 28 to August 10, 2022, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. This marked India's first time hosting the Chess Olympiad since its inception in 1927. The event saw record participation, with 188 teams in the Open section and 162 in the Women's section.

'Thambi', meaning 'younger brother' in Tamil, served as the official mascot. It was depicted as a chess knight with folded hands and traditional attire, symbolizing the host state's culture. The tournament also featured the first-ever Chess Olympiad Torch Relay, which started in Delhi and traveled across the country.

## Trophies

- **Hamilton-Russell Cup**: Awarded to the winning team in the Open section (men's section), instituted by F. Hamilton-Russell in 1927.
- **Vera Menchik Cup**: Named after the first Women's World Chess Champion, this is the official trophy for the winning team in the Women's section.
- **Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy**: Awarded to the best overall performing country across both sections.

These trophies represent distinct honors in international chess history and are established symbols for their respective Olympiad categories.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: Only one

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: Only three

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: All four