The Indian chess teams made a resounding start to the 45th Chess Olympiad, with the men’s team blanking Morocco 4-0 and the women’s team dominating Jamaica, conceding only a draw.
On the top board, R Praggnanandhaa set the tone for the Indian men, defeating Tissir Mohamed in a Sicilian defense game. Vidit Gujrathi, Arjun Erigaisi, and P Harikrishna also secured comfortable victories, giving India a perfect start.
In the women’s section, R Vaishali and Tania Sachdev scored impressive wins in the first time control. However, Divya Deshmukh faced a tough battle before securing a much-needed victory, while Vantika Agarwal was forced to concede a draw in the endgame.
Despite occasional hiccups, top-seeded United States also emerged victorious, defeating Panama 3.5-0.5. Wesley So was the only American unable to force a win, settling for a draw.
In the open section, 99 teams started with wins, earning two points each. A total of 182 teams were paired, while 15 teams were still en route to Budapest.
Praggnanandhaa’s victory against Mohamed was particularly impressive, as he capitalized on an advantage in the king side to secure the first point for India. Gujrathi also displayed his dominance, knocking down a pawn in the opening against Jacques Elbilia and never looking back.
Erigaisi faced a tougher challenge but ultimately emerged victorious, while Harikrishna overcame initial resistance from Anas Mosyad to secure the vital point.
In the women’s competition, Vaishali had no trouble converting her position with black pieces, while Sachdev maintained control throughout her game. Deshmukh proved her mettle in an equal position, but Vantika was forced into a drawn endgame.
The Indian men will face a spirited Iceland in the second round, while the women will take on a strong Georgian team.
