Chess: England fail to win senior team world medals for first time in five years

USA retain the world 50+ title, while Germany-Lasker SGK win the 65+ equivalent, with England fourth in both events

England finished out of the medals for the first time in five years in this week’s world senior team championships for over-50s and over-65s, played at Durres, Albania, as the US, fielding a largely former USSR squad, retained the over-50 gold medals, while a nominally German team, which also included a former Soviet star, won the over-65s event.

The US victory was clear but had a controversial aspect in the team’s use of package deals, which are forbidden in Olympiads but still allowed in senior events.