The Indian men’s team secures its eighth win at the Chess Olympiad, while the women’s team faces a tough loss, leaving both teams vying for top spots.
Key Highlights: 1. Men’s team wins eighth match, leading with 16 points. 2. Arjun and Gukesh aim for top world ratings. 3. Women’s team suffers defeat against Poland, struggles persist.
The Indian men’s chess team celebrated another impressive victory, defeating Iran 3.5-0.5 in the eighth round of the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest. This win puts them firmly in contention for the gold medal in the Open section. Meanwhile, the women’s team faced a surprising loss to Poland, finishing 1.5-2.5.
With this latest win, the Indian men have secured eight victories in a row, bringing their total points to 16 and extending their lead over Hungary and Uzbekistan by two points, with just three rounds left in this major tournament.
World number four Arjun Erigaisi kicked off the match with a strong performance, easily overcoming Bardiya Daneshvar. Following him, D Gukesh also claimed victory against Parham Maghsoodloo, cleverly managing the endgame. R Praggnanandhaa drew with Amin Tabatabaei, ensuring the team’s win, while Vidit Gujrathi showcased his skills by defeating Idani Pouya.
Arjun’s success continues to propel him toward a 2800 rating, with 7.5 points from eight games. Currently, his live rating is 2793, and if he surpasses 2800, he will become only the second Indian player in history to do so, following Viswanathan Anand. Gukesh is also on the rise, now rated at 2785, marking the first time two Indians have made it into the world’s top five.
Arjun opened with a reverse Benoni, leading to tactical challenges that Daneshvar couldn’t navigate. Gukesh utilized the Dubov variation in the Tarrasch defense, catching his opponent off-guard in a tense middle game. Vidit excelled with the Sozin variation against the Sicilian defense, while Praggnanandhaa played solidly to avoid any serious threats.
On the women’s side, the Indian team struggled, with Grandmaster D Harika suffering her third defeat against Alina Kashlinskaya. Monika Socko of Poland defeated R Vaishali in a tough endgame, while Divya Deshmukh managed to secure a win against Aleksandra Maltsevskaya. Vantika Agrawal was in a strong position but made a critical error under time pressure, ending her game against Alicja Sliwicka in a draw.
After this round, the Indian women’s team is tied with Poland and Kazakhstan at 14 points, while the USA, Armenia, and Ukraine trail by one point.
In the next round, the Indian men will face Uzbekistan, while the women will compete against the USA.
