The Indian men’s chess team has made history at the Chess Olympiad by securing its first-ever gold medal, largely driven by the stellar performances of D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi. Alongside, the Indian women’s team is also on the verge of achieving the same feat, placing them both in an outstanding position to bring home gold medals in their respective categories.
India’s Historic Moment in Chess Olympiad
Both the Indian men’s and women’s teams are on the brink of claiming gold at the Chess Olympiad, an event that is regarded as the most prestigious team competition in chess. The Indian men’s team, for the first time in history, has moved into a position where the gold medal is all but guaranteed. Grandmaster and World Championship contender D Gukesh played a crucial role by defeating World No. 2 Fabiano Caruana of the United States in the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, putting India in a dominant position.
India’s First Chess Olympiad Gold
The Indian men’s team is set to win its first-ever gold medal in the Chess Olympiad. Heading into the final round on Sunday, September 22, 2024, both Indian teams are leading the standings. The men’s team achieved a significant victory by defeating the top-seeded USA team late on Saturday night (IST). While the USA entered the tournament as favorites, their performance in the later stages faltered, allowing India to secure a top spot.
Gukesh Stuns World No. 2 Caruana
D Gukesh, who is preparing for the World Championship match in Singapore in November 2024, delivered a stunning win by defeating Fabiano Caruana, the second-ranked player in the world. Arjun Erigaisi also contributed by winning a long and intense game against Leinier Dominguez Perez, making up for R Praggnanandhaa’s loss to Wesley So. Vidit Gujrathi held his ground with a draw against Levon Aronian, keeping India in the lead.
Indian Women’s Team Also in Fine Form
The Indian women’s team is also in excellent form, sitting in second place after the 10th round of the Olympiad standings. They triumphed over a weakened Chinese team, which was missing key players like Women’s World Champion Tan Zhongyi, Hou Yifan, Ju Wenjun, and Lei Tingjie.
Divya Deshmukh Breaks China’s Challenge
The key to India’s victory against China was Divya Deshmukh, who secured the only win of the match, while the other games ended in draws. Divya’s performance on Board 3 was outstanding, as she defeated Ni Shiqun to lead India to a 2.5-1.5 win. Her contribution solidified her status as a star performer for the Indian team.
R Vaishali’s Admirable Defense
R Vaishali also played an instrumental role, saving a difficult position against Guo Qi by taking advantage of a tactical shot to force a draw. On the top board, D Harika held Zhu Jiner to a draw, while Vantika Agrawal also managed an easy draw after countering Lu Miaoyi’s moves in the middlegame. With Georgia likely to win against Kazakhstan, the Indian women’s team is in a strong position to challenge for the top spot and could also emerge as gold medalists.
