A dream realized, a feeling of pure elation. The maiden Chess Olympiad gold held different meanings for each member of the five-strong Indian men’s team, spearheaded by the youngest-ever challenger to the world title, D Gukesh. The 18-year-old, in a statement of sorts ahead of his eagerly anticipated world championship clash in November against Ding Liren of China, delivered one of the most remarkable individual performances in the recently concluded 45th Olympiad.
“I am just super happy right now,” Gukesh said after winning his final round game against giant-killer Vladimir Fedoseev of Slovenia on Sunday. The teenager, playing on the top board for India, showcased sensational form, amassing nine points from his ten games, losing just two draws and securing eight victories. This phenomenal performance proved crucial in the team’s gold medal triumph. India dominated, scoring 21 points out of a possible 22, winning ten matches and drawing only one against last Olympiad champions Uzbekistan.
“It was a very nice experience for me personally and for the team…this was basically a dream (come true),” Gukesh shared in the final press conference of the Olympiad. The joy of the victory was palpable as both the men’s and women’s teams, who also won gold, erupted in celebration at the podium.
Arjun Erigaisi, another key contributor to the men’s success, secured 10 points, playing all 11 games in the event. This achievement propelled him to number three in live world rankings, behind Magnus Carlsen of Norway and American Hikaru Nakamura. With a current rating of 2797, Arjun is just three points shy of the magical 2800 mark and only five behind Nakamura. Carlsen, with a rating of 2830, remains a significant distance ahead.
Despite his remarkable climb, Erigaisi remained humble, stating, “It’s a nice feeling but there are about 10-15 players with similar strength, so I don’t want to care too much about being number three or number four.” When asked about playing on board three despite being the highest-rated player in the Indian team at the start of the Olympiad, Erigaisi explained it was part of the team’s strategic plan. “We thought Gukesh would do well on board one and I would do good on board three, because it worked out well, obviously no regrets,” he said.
While both Gukesh and Erigaisi secured individual gold medals for their outstanding performances on boards one and three respectively, Vidit Gujrathi, who scored 7.5 points from his 10 games, narrowly missed out on individual glory, finishing fourth in performance rating on board four. Though R. Praggnanandhaa’s performance might not have met his lofty expectations, he played a crucial anchoring role, especially till the ninth game, providing much-needed stability to the team. His lone loss against American Wesley So was followed by a final round victory, showcasing the young player’s strong character.
Team captain N Srinath was immensely pleased with his team’s performance. “I don’t have to give them a lot of advice as these guys are professionals, they know what to do. It was some preparation, bringing them together but mostly just sitting back watching them flow,” he said.
As the team returns home on Monday, the real celebrations might have to wait a couple of days, but one thing is certain: India has firmly established itself as a chess powerhouse. “Yesterday we were in the team meeting, we were already in the celebration mood. I was super excited but I hoped there would be no game. We forced ourselves to focus and come here, do the job, and then celebrate,” said Gukesh. “I thought even if we lose the match, we still win on tie breaks. We wanted to win the match, of course. We were expecting a win. We were all pretty relaxed. But yeah, glad that me and Arjun got the job done.”
The Indian men’s team had previously won two bronze medals – in 2014 and 2022 (held in Chennai) – in the prestigious tournament. “This tournament for me, especially since what happened last time, we were so close as the team to win gold. This time I thought no matter what I’m going to do, whatever it takes to win the team goal,” Gukesh told Chess24 earlier. “So I did not really think about the individual performance much. I just wanted the team to win this time.” And win they did, with Gukesh playing a pivotal role in ensuring their historic triumph.
