Indian Chess Team Extends Unbeaten Streak at Olympiad with Victory over Azerbaijan
The Indian men’s chess team continued their impressive run at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, securing a 2.5-1.5 victory over Azerbaijan in the fifth round. The win was spearheaded by in-form stars D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi, who extended their unbeaten streak in the tournament.
Gukesh, playing with white pieces on board one, outplayed Aydin Sulemanli in a quick and decisive game. Erigaisi, on board three, also showcased his dominance, overpowering Rauf Mamedov with a similar efficiency.
Praggnanandhaa, on board two, played another draw, but his contribution was crucial in ensuring India’s victory, regardless of the outcome of Vidit Gujrathi’s game against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov.
With this victory, the Indian men’s team maintained their perfect record, scoring ten points from five matches. They are now joined by Vietnam, who also continued their impressive performance with a 2.5-1.5 win over Poland.
In the women’s section, Grandmaster D Harika suffered a surprising defeat against Bibisara Assaubayeva of Kazakhstan, giving the latter an early lead. However, Vantika Agarwal played a strong game on board four, securing a clean victory with white pieces against Alua Nurman. Xeniya Balabayeva and Divya Deshmukh shared the point on board five.
Grandmaster R Vaishali came close to securing a second win for India, but ultimately settled for a draw.
With this result, the Indian women’s team is likely to join Armenia and Mongolia in the lead with ten points.
