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India Makes History: Men's and Women's Teams Win Gold at 45th Chess Olympiad

  • 22 Sep 2024 11:45 AM
  • India Chess Olympiad, Gold Medals, Indian Chess

India made history on Sunday as both its men's and women's chess teams secured their maiden gold medals at the 45th Chess Olympiad. In a stunning display of skill and strategy, the men's team triumphed over Slovenia, while the women's team dominated Azerbaijan, marking a monumental achievement in Indian chess.

In the final round, the men's team showcased their prowess as D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanadhaa all claimed victories. Gukesh, facing Vladimir Fedoseev, delivered a masterclass in strategy, earning a hard-fought win that highlighted his technical skill. Erigaisi also shone on the third board, overcoming Jan Subeli with a surprising Centre Counter defense. Praggnanadhaa capped off the men's success with a decisive victory against Anton Demchenko, leading India to a 3-0 sweep over Slovenia.

With this win, the Indian men's team finished the tournament with an impressive 21 points out of a possible 22, only conceding a draw to Uzbekistan. This victory marks their first title in the open category, having previously secured bronze medals in 2014 and 2022.

Simultaneously, the women's team delivered an extraordinary performance against Azerbaijan, winning 3.5-0.5. D Harika exhibited her technical prowess on the top board, while Divya Deshmukh's strong performance earned her an individual gold medal on the third board. After R Vaishali drew her game, Vantika Agrawal sealed the team's victory with another brilliant win.

Together, these victories represent a historic double gold for India at the Chess Olympiad, a remarkable milestone in the nation's sporting journey.