India’s chess teams, both the open and women’s, continued their impressive performance at the 46th Chess Olympiad on Thursday. Each team secured wins in their second-round matches, bringing their total to four match points and keeping them at the top of the leaderboard.
In the open section, Nihal Sarin stood out once again, claiming his second tournament victory. Playing with the white pieces against Hafiz Arif Abdul, Nihal engaged in an intense Sicilian game. He managed to put pressure on Abdul’s king early on, although he briefly faced a risky situation where his own king was exposed. Fortunately, Abdul didn’t take advantage of this slip, and soon the tide turned in Nihal’s favor. He quickly capitalized on Abdul’s vulnerabilities, wrapping up the game decisively.
D Gukesh, the reigning world champion, struggled to find his form and ended up drawing his match against Satria Duta Cahaya from Indonesia. Playing with white, Gukesh was unable to create significant problems for his opponent, who handled Gukesh’s moves effectively. The game reached a point of perpetual checks, leaving India with a 2-1 lead and relying on R Praggnanandhaa to secure the overall victory.
Praggnanandhaa faced a tough opponent in Susanto Megaranto but fought hard throughout the match. After many exchanges, he reached a rook-and-pawn ending with an additional pawn. However, the position did not present clear winning chances, and the two players agreed to a draw after 79 moves, giving India a close 2.5-1.5 victory.
In other matches, the United States narrowly defeated Mongolia with the same score of 2.5-1.5, while the 2022 champions and event hosts, Uzbekistan, had a smoother match, winning against Peru 3.5-0.5.
The women’s team produced a stronger showing in their second round, with World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh marking her first appearance at the Olympiad with a win over Johanna Paasikangas. Vantika Agrawal continued her winning streak by defeating Sara-Olivia Sippola. Additionally, B Savitha Shri won her match against Helja Lehtinen, establishing a commanding 3-0 lead for India. R Vaishali capped off the round with a draw against Anastasia Keinanen, ensuring another victory for the defending champions.
With both teams performing brilliantly, India remains a strong contender in this prestigious event.
