Chess Olympiad 2024: Gukesh and Vaishali Shine as India Secure Crucial Wins in Round 7

Budapest, Sep 19: India continued its strong campaign at the Chess Olympiad 2024, with both the men's (Open) and women's teams delivering impressive performances in Round 7, held on Wednesday (September 18)

The men's team secured a narrow victory against China, while the women's team clinched a commanding win over Georgia.

India Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 7 Scoreline:

• Men's Team: India 2.5-1.5 China
• Women's Team: India 3-1 Georgia

Indian Men's Team Edges Past China

On the second board, GM Praggnanandhaa R (2750) played against GM Yu Yangyi (2703). Both players exhibited deep tactical understanding, and the match ended in a well-fought draw, contributing half a point to the Indian tally.

The third board saw GM Arjun Erigaisi (2778) up against GM Bu Xiangzhi (2693). Like the second board, this encounter was also tightly contested, with neither player gaining enough of an advantage to push for a win. Both players agreed to a draw, keeping India ahead with another half point.

On the fourth board, GM Pentala Harikrishna (2686) took on GM Wang Yue (2637). In a balanced game that saw tactical play from both sides, the players eventually settled for a draw.

The most decisive moment came on the first board, where GM Gukesh Dommaraju (2764) faced GM Wei Yi (2762) in a tense game. Gukesh played a brilliant match, capitalizing on Wei Yi's errors in the middle game to secure a critical win for India that sealed the overall victory.

Indian Women's Team Outclasses Georgia

On the top board, GM Harika Dronavalli (2502) faced GM Nana Dzagnidze (2508). The game was tightly contested and both players agreed to a draw after a well-fought battle.

On Board 2, GM Vaishali R (2498) played an excellent game against IM Lela Javakhishvili (2446). Vaishali's tactical superiority led to a critical win, propelling India ahead in the match.

Board 3 saw IM Divya Deshmukh (2483) take on GM Nino Batsiashvili (2461). The two players were evenly matched, and after a tense game, they settled for a draw.
On Board 4, IM Vantika Agrawal (2370) was in top form as she defeated GM Bela Khotenashvili (2432).

India's 6th Round Results

In the previous round (Round 6), held on Monday, September 16, the Indian men's team secured a 2.5-1.5 victory against Hungary. GM Arjun Erigaisi and GM Vidit Gujrathi were the stars, each contributing a crucial win, while GM Gukesh and GM Praggnanandhaa held their boards to a draw, ensuring India's narrow victory.

On the women's side, India triumphed over Armenia with a close 2.5-1.5 scoreline. IM Divya Deshmukh delivered the match-winning point, while GM Harika Dronavalli and GM Vaishali Rameshbabu secured draws to maintain India's edge. The wins in Round 6 further built momentum for their strong showing in Round 7.