Consider the following statements in respect of the 44th Chess Olympiad, 2022 : 1. It was the first time that 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?
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: It was India's first time hosting the Chess Olympiad (held near Chennai/Mamallapuram, 28 July–9 August 2022). Supporting facts: first-ever Olympiad torch relay across multiple Indian cities; record participation with close to 190 teams in Open and over 160 in Women's; as host, India fielded multiple teams in each section.
Statement 2 is correct: The official mascot was 'Thambi' (Tamil for "younger brother"). Supporting facts: chosen to reflect Tamil Nadu's culture and hospitality; widely used in event branding, promotions, and public outreach.
Statement 3 is not correct: The Open section winners receive the Hamilton–Russell Cup, not the Vera Menchik Cup. Clarification: Hamilton–Russell Cup is the historic team trophy of the Open section (perpetual trophy retained by the winning federation until the next Olympiad).
Statement 4 is not correct: The Women's section winners receive the Vera Menchik Cup, not the Hamilton–Russell Cup. Clarification: the trophy honours Vera Menchik, the first Women's World Chess Champion; awarded to the Women's section winners.