India’s defending champions in both the open and women’s sections continued their winning run at the 46th Chess Olympiad on Thursday, although neither team had it entirely easy. Both sides picked up victories in the second round to move to four match points and stay at the top of the standings.
Nihal Sarin once again emerged as India’s key performer in the open section, securing his second win of the tournament. Facing Hafiz Arif Abdul with the white pieces, Nihal entered a sharp Sicilian battle and immediately looked to put pressure on the black king. There was, however, a brief moment when the Indian allowed a tactical opportunity that could have put his own king in danger.
Abdul failed to capitalise, and the tables quickly turned. The Malaysian player soon found his king exposed, with several pieces still on the board, and Nihal wasted little time in converting his advantage.
D Gukesh, meanwhile, was unable to register his first win of the Olympiad. The reigning world champion, playing white, was held to a draw by Indonesia’s Satria Duta Cahaya, who successfully neutralised India’s attempts to create complications. Gukesh struggled to generate momentum, while Cahaya responded accurately to his moves throughout the game.
The game eventually ended in a series of perpetual checks, leaving India 2-1 ahead and putting the responsibility of securing the overall victory on R Praggnanandhaa.
Praggnanandhaa pushed hard against Susanto Megaranto but could not break through the Indonesian’s resilient defence. The Indian eventually reached a rook-and-pawn ending with an extra pawn after a prolonged battle, but the position offered no realistic winning chances. The two players agreed to a draw after 79 moves, handing India a 2.5-1.5 victory.
The United States also endured a close contest in the open section, edging past Mongolia by the same 2.5-1.5 scoreline. Uzbekistan, the 2022 champions and hosts of the event, had a more comfortable outing, beating Peru 3.5-0.5.
India’s women’s team produced a more convincing result in their second-round encounter. World Cup champion Divya Deshmukh marked her first appearance at the Olympiad with a victory over Johanna Paasikangas on board two.
Vantika Agrawal maintained her perfect start by defeating Sara-Olivia Sippola for her second consecutive win. B Savitha Shri also added another full point, getting the better of Helja Lehtinen.
With India already 3-0 ahead, R Vaishali completed the team’s outing with a draw against Anastasia Keinanen, ensuring another victory for the defending champions.
– Ends
