Indian chess teams triumphed in the seventh round, with the women’s squad overcoming Georgia and the men’s team besting China. Grandmaster R Vaishali and Vantika Agrawal shone for the women’s side, while World Championship contender D Gukesh spearheaded the men’s victory.
Indian Chess Grandmaster D Gukesh
Indian women continue their dominant run in the 45th Chess Olympiad, defeating second-seeded Georgia 3-1, with standout performances from Grandmasters R Vaishali and Vantika Agrawal. Meanwhile, World Championship contender D Gukesh led the Indian men to a hard-fought 2.5-1.5 win over China, maintaining both teams’ unbeaten streaks.
Vaishali and Vantika clinched victories over Georgia’s Lela Javakhishvili and Bella Khotenashvili, respectively, securing India’s seventh consecutive triumph. The day also saw D Harika drawing against Nana Dzagnidze, and Divya Deshmukh being held to a draw by Nino Batsiashvili, despite being in a strong position. Vantika’s nerve under time pressure was impressive, as she made nearly 20 moves with just a minute remaining, sealing the team’s victory.
With a perfect score of 14 points from 14 rounds, the Indian women have extended their lead over Poland, Kazakhstan, and France, who trail with 12 points each. In a twist, Poland’s Olivia Kiolbasa blundered against Ukraine’s Nataliya Buksa, turning what seemed a sure win into a 2-2 draw.
On the men’s side, Gukesh, playing white, showcased resilience in a Closed Sicilian game against China’s Wei Yi. After nearly five hours, Gukesh capitalized on a critical mistake by Wei, clinching the decisive win. Speculation was rife over a potential face-off between Gukesh and reigning World Champion Ding Liren, but China’s decision to rest Ding surprised many experts.
R Praggnanandhaa quickly drew his game as black against Yangyi Yu, while P Harikrishna pushed for a win but ultimately settled for a draw against Wang Yue. Arjun Erigaisi went for the kill against Bu Xiangzhi, but Bu’s clever piece sacrifice forced a draw through repetition.
With four rounds left, both Indian teams remain undefeated. The men’s team, tied for the top spot with a perfect score, is closely followed by Iran, with 13 points. Serbia, Hungary, Armenia, and defending champions Uzbekistan share third place with 12 points each.
In the upcoming round, the Indian men will face Iran, while the women take on Poland.
