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India’s Chess Teams Continue Winning Streak at 45th Chess Olympiad.

Indias Chess Teams
Image Credit: Outlook India
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India’s men and women teams in Budapest for the 45th Chess Olympiad proved to be on a roll in the seventh round, with the former emerging with a closely contested 2.5-1.5 triumph over China and the latter firmly crushing Georgia 3-1.

Indian Women’s Team Wrecks Georgia

 Indian Women vs. Georgia

Player Result Opponent
R Vaishali Win Lela Javakhishvili
Vantika Agrawal Win Bella Khotenashvili
D Harika Draw Nana Dzagnidze
Divya Deshmukh Draw Nino Batsiashvili

Indian women’s team consisting of Grandmasters R Vaishali and Vantika Agrawal caused a shock storm against one of the stronger teams in Olympiad, Georgia.

Crucial wins by Vaishali and Vantika and accomplished against seasoned players Lela Javakhishvili and Bella Khotenashvili, respectively made India ensure a very dominating win of 3-1.

While Vaishali and Vantika certainly basked in the glory of their wins, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. In fact, D Harika, perhaps India’s most successful female player, had to be content with a draw against Nana Dzagnidze.

Elsewhere, Divya Deshmukh, too, drew with Nino Batsiashvili after holding a better position in the game earlier. But these draws didn’t affect the outcome much since Vaishali and Vantika’s wins sealed the match for India.

Vantika was very impressive in her game. She coped with nearly 20 moves under its fullest pressure; it takes nearly a minute to be on the clock.

Vaishali and Vantika’s wins against such formidable players are commendable and have placed India firmly in the lead.

Such calm and focused play went well for her as she won and sealed the deal for India to get the seventh consecutive victory in the tournament.

This victory puts the Indian women’s team safely at number one with 14 points out of a maximum of 14.

They leave behind two points of their nearest pursuers – Poland, Kazakhstan, and France – who have 12 points each. The Indian women’s team has remained one of the top favorites in the fray as the competition goes on.

Related articles: Women demonstrate their brainstorming ability at the International Chess Olympiad Budapest.


Gukesh Guides Indian Men to Victory Over China

India 45 Chess Olympiad 2024

Image Credit: The Federal News

Gukesh’s performance against Wei Yi proved once again why he’s a rising star in Indian chess.

Indian Men vs. China

Player Result Opponent
D Gukesh Win Wei Yi
P Harikrishna Draw Wang Yue
R Praggnanandhaa Draw Yangyi Yu
Arjun Erigaisi Draw Bu Xiangzhi

On the men’s side, it was World Championship challenger D Gukesh who played a leading role as India won an excitingly close 2.5-1.5 match against China.

Gukesh, who had been in form throughout the tournament, once again showed his mettle in getting the better of a top-board player from China, Wei Yi.

A drawn endgame after almost five hours of torturous tension: that is how Gukesh’s game against Wei Yi ended as White in the Closed Sicilian.

Enough concentration and patience at the right moment, he showed, though, to convert his victory against Wei Yi, thus ensuring a crucial win for the team.

While there was tremendous excitement about an eventual possible encounter between Gukesh and World Champion Ding Liren, who has been reigning supreme since 2023.

The Chinese decided to give Ding a sit-out in this round, leaving all experts in the chess fraternity stunned. Still, without their ace player, the Chinese team turned out to be tricky enough, but India managed to win this one for themselves.

R Praggnanandhaa played a really solid game, and the game versus Yangyi Yu was over in an instant. P Harikrishna’s game against Wang Yue was very tense until a pretty equal rook and pawn endgame; after that, it was all draw.

Arjun Erigaisi went all out for a win versus Bu Xiangzhi, but Bu played alertly and tossed in some gems in tactics to force a draw due to repetition.

India’s win meant that the men were unbeaten, like their women’s counterparts, at this championship, tallying 14 points to go on top of the table, with Iran following at 13 points. Serbia, Hungary, Armenia, and Uzbekistan are tied for third place with 12 points each.


Two challenges await India: Iran and Poland.

The upcoming matches against Iran and Poland will be pivotal in determining India’s path to glory at the Olympiad.

It’s going to be a great challenge for both teams as the tournament is entering its tail-end. In the next round, India’s men are going to face.

Iran, a serious competitor also performing well in the whole course of the Olympiad. Now, it would be a decisive match, which will decide whether India can or cannot hold on to its lead in the final rounds of the tournament.

On the women’s side, India will play Poland in their next match. Poland is currently sitting in the second spot with 12 points and would love to close the gap with the Indian team.

However, the form shown so far by the Indian women’s team will boost their confidence to continue their winning streak.

Indian Chess Teams on Path to Glory

With four rounds to go at the Olympiad, Indian men’s and women’s teams are well-placed to have a shot at the yellow metal. Such has been their show so far that it can only be termed spectacular, especially with Gukesh, Vaishali, and Vantika coming through big when it mattered most.

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References: Chess.com

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