Chess Olympiad: Gukesh Leads India’s Charge, Women Register 3-1 Win

Reigning world champion D Gukesh produced a remarkable comeback as India’s men defeated Germany 2.5-1.5, while the women’s team registered a convincing 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan in the ninth round of the 46th Chess Olympiad here on Thursday.

Gukesh, playing against Alexander Donchenkov, endured a difficult game and appeared to be heading towards defeat for a large part of the contest. However, the Indian ace displayed his fighting qualities and turned the game around with a brilliant finish, weaving a checkmate net around the German player’s king.

Gukesh’s victory proved decisive as the other three games ended in draws. R Praggnanandhaa shared the point with Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi drew with Matthias Bluebaum, while Nihal Sarin was held by Fredrik Svane. The 2.5-1.5 win took India’s tally to 15 points, keeping the team firmly in contention for a podium finish with two rounds remaining.

The hosts Uzbekistan strengthened their position in the open section by defeating top seeds the United States. Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Nodirbek Yakubboev delivered crucial wins over Fabiano Caruana and Hans Moke Niemann respectively. Although Javokhir Sindarov lost to Wesley So on the second board, Uzbekistan still secured a vital victory and moved closer to the gold medal.

In the women’s section, India had a relatively comfortable outing against Uzbekistan. Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal secured victories, while Koneru Humpy and Savitha Shri were held to draws, giving India a 3-1 win.

China continued to dominate the women’s standings with another 3-1 victory over Armenia. The Chinese team moved to 17 points, opening a two-point lead over its nearest challengers, including India.

India are expected to face China in the penultimate round, in what could prove to be a crucial encounter in the women’s title race. The performance of Humpy, who leads India on the top board, could be particularly important against the formidable Chinese side.

For Gukesh, the comeback against Donchenkov was also significant ahead of his world championship match later this year. The world champion once again demonstrated his ability to fight back from difficult positions, giving India an important boost as the Olympiad enters its decisive final rounds.

With two rounds remaining, both Indian teams remain in contention for strong finishes at the biggest team event in chess.