The 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest witnessed a stellar performance by the Indian chess teams, with the men’s team delivering a commanding victory over Azerbaijan and the women’s team edging closer to a win against Kazakhstan.
Indian Mens Team Dominates Azerbaijan at Chess Olympiad
The Indian men’s team, led by the in-form stars D. Gukesh and Arjun Erigaise, secured a decisive 3-1 victory over Azerbaijan in the fifth round. This win marked their fifth consecutive victory, maintaining a perfect score of ten points.
- D. Gukesh: The World Championship challenger, showcased his prowess by defeating Aydin Sulemanli. Gukesh gained a significant middle-game advantage with scattered black pieces and a weak king, converting it into a full point with precision.
- Arjun Erigaise: Arjun, the only Indian to have played all five games so far, continued his winning streak by overcoming Rauf Mamedov. His ability to complicate matters with either colour proved crucial as he navigated a Sicilian Dragon structure to secure a win.
- R. Praggnanandhaa: Praggnanandhaa played a solid draw on board two, ensuring an Indian victory irrespective of the result on the fourth board.
- Vidit Gujrathi: Vidit played a marathon game against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, which ended in a draw, sealing India’s triumph.
The Indian men’s team now shares the lead with Vietnam, China, and Hungary, all of whom have ten points. With six rounds remaining, the competition is heating up, with teams like Magnus Carlsen’s Norway and Iran close behind.
The standings after 5 rounds of play at the Chess Olympiad 2024! Team India is leading both the Open and Women's section with 10/10 match points.
There are 4 teams with 10/10 Match points in Open – India, China, Vietnam, and Hungary. In Women, there are 3 Teams with a perfect… pic.twitter.com/ZIKTgacTgq
— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) September 15, 2024
Indian Women’s Team on the Brink of Victory
In the women’s section, the Indian team faced a tough challenge against Kazakhstan. Despite an early setback, they managed to stay competitive and are now on the verge of victory.
- D. Harika: Grandmaster Harika suffered a shock defeat against Bibisara Assaubayeva, giving Kazakhstan an early lead. Despite being better for most of the game, Harika misplayed in the endgame.
- Vantika Agarwal: Vantika played a crucial role by winning her game against Alua Nurman with white pieces, levelling the scores.
- Divya Deshmukh: Divya split the point with Xeniya Balabayeva, keeping the match balanced.
- R. Vaishali: Vaishali emerged as the hero for the Indian team, outwitting Meruert Kamalidenova to secure a crucial win. Her victory ensured that India remained in contention for the top spot.
The Indian women’s team now joins Armenia and Mongolia in the lead with ten points. Armenia handed China a 2.5-1.5 defeat, while Mongolia triumphed over the United States with a similar score.
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