India on the brink of historic double gold at Chess Olympiad

Indian Chess Team

India's chess teams are on the verge of making history at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest. The men's team delivered a decisive victory over a strong USA squad, inching closer to their first-ever gold medal at an in-person Olympiad. Meanwhile, the women's team kept their gold medal hopes alive with a crucial win over China, setting up a final-round showdown for the title.

This would mark India's first gold at an in-person Olympiad, following their shared victory in the 2020 online edition during the pandemic. With the men leading the standings with 19 points and the women level with Kazakhstan at 17, the final round promises high drama. The men's team faces Slovenia, needing a win to avoid the tiebreak complications, while the women's squad must beat Azerbaijan for a chance at the top podium spot.

India's impressive run underlines the rapid progress of Indian chess, with players like Arjun Erigaisi and Gukesh D leading the charge on the global stage.

In the Open section, India leads with 19 points, followed by China with 17 points, while the USA and Uzbekistan trail with 15 points each. The Indian team’s victory over the USA was a crucial step toward their historic win, thanks to standout performances from Gukesh and Erigaisi.

Congratulations to the Indian men's team for winning the Olympiad with a round to spare, historic performance! Simply awe-inspiring play. Congratulations to @DGukesh and @ArjunErigaisi for their individual results as well!@FIDE_chess
Viswanathan Anand (@vishy64theking) September 21, 2024

Gukesh secured a critical victory against World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana, while Arjun Erigaisi delivered another blow to the Americans by defeating Leinier Dominguez Perez after a tense, marathon battle. Vidit Gujrathi’s draw against Levon Aronian, combined with these victories, helped the team offset Praggnanandhaa’s loss to Wesley So.

“This is certainly the strongest team India has ever sent to an Olympiad. They have a pretty decent chance of winning the gold, and a fair chance of winning a medal,” commented Srinath Narayanan, captain of the Indian team.

The Indian women’s team, riding high after a win over Switzerland in an earlier round, defeated a weakened Chinese team missing its top players like Hou Yifan and Ju Wenjun. Divya Deshmukh’s victory was the decider in a hard-fought match where the other Indian players drew their games. India now shares the top spot with Kazakhstan, both teams having 17 points.

India’s rise in both sections at the Olympiad is being hailed as the pinnacle of the country’s recent dominance in chess. Speaking about the team’s collective strength, Indian chess prodigy Nihal Sarin said, “India are playing insanely well. It’s great to see. Gukesh and Arjun are really on fire. Pragg is playing really solid chess, and Vidit and Harikrishna are playing really well. This Indian team is stronger than ever this year.”

The Chess Olympiad marks another milestone in what has been a groundbreaking year for Indian chess. Gukesh became the youngest-ever winner of the Candidates tournament at 17, and Praggnanandhaa defeated Magnus Carlsen in a classical game for the first time at Norway Chess.

Arjun Erigaisi, a key player in the Open section, has cemented his place among the world’s top players, winning seven of his nine games at the Olympiad. “India has gained a massive edge by having a World No. 4 play against the third-best players from other teams,” said an observer.

The current Open team, which combines the talents of Gukesh, Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa, Gujrathi, and Pentala Harikrishna, represents India’s strongest-ever lineup. At the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai, India had to split these players between two teams as the host country. Now unified in Budapest, the team’s depth has proven to be unstoppable.

Reflecting on this momentum, Garry Kasparov remarked, “The Indian earthquake in Toronto is the culmination of the shifting tectonic plates in the chess world as the 17-year-old Gukesh D will face Chinese champion Ding Liren for the highest title. The ‘children’ of Vishy Anand are on the loose.”

Heading into the final round on Sunday, both Indian teams are in pole position for gold. If they succeed, it will be a historic moment for Indian chess, underscoring the nation’s rise as a global chess powerhouse.

From winning their first-ever bronze in 2014 to sharing gold in the 2020 Online Chess Olympiad, the progress of Indian chess is now culminating in what could be their greatest triumph yet. The depth, talent, and team spirit of this generation of players have brought India to the forefront of the chess world, with legends like Viswanathan Anand mentoring them to greatness.

As Nihal Sarin put it, “Being the top-ranked player in India is one of the most difficult things in world chess right now. You always get stronger by playing stronger players. If you push yourself that way, your level will also increase.” With India’s top players pushing their limits, the world is witnessing a new era of Indian chess.