The Indian chess teams continued their dominant performance at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest on Friday, securing their third consecutive victories in the third round. The men’s team triumphed over host Hungary-B with a resounding 3.5-0.5 score, while the women’s team beat Switzerland 3-1. However, this round also marked a first for the Indian teams – a loss.
Dronavalli Harika, playing on the top board for the women’s team, suffered a defeat against Alexandra Kosteniuk, a former Russian representative. This was the first loss for an Indian player in the tournament. Despite this setback, the remaining Indian women players showcased their strength and secured wins. R. Vaishali triumphed over Ghazal Hakimifard on the second board, Divya Deshmukh defeated Sofiia Hryzlova on the third, and Vantika Agrawal overcame Mariia Manko on the fourth. Their performance justified their position as the top-seeded team.
In the open section, India’s flawless record was broken by the host nation’s second team. After dominating the first two days with eight consecutive wins, India’s second seed was forced to settle for a half-point draw, as Vidit Gujrathi was held to a stalemate by Gabor Papp on the fourth board. Despite this draw, the other Indian players shone. D. Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi, the magnificent young trio, secured impressive victories over Adam Kozak, Tamas Banusz, and Peter Prohaszka, respectively.
With eight rounds still remaining, the Indian teams remain in a strong position, but this first loss adds an element of excitement and anticipation to the remaining competition. The Indian chess teams are poised to continue their quest for glory, and the world will be watching with bated breath to see if they can overcome this initial hurdle and ultimately claim the coveted title.
