India’s chess contingent continues to dominate the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, with both the men’s and women’s teams securing resounding victories in the fourth round. The men’s team, seeded second, showcased their strength by defeating Serbia, the 16th seed. Meanwhile, the top-seeded women’s team proved their prowess with a convincing win over France, the 13th seed.
The women’s team performance was particularly noteworthy, as it saw a crucial comeback from Dronavalli Harika, who had suffered a loss in the previous round. Harika displayed resilience and skill, defeating Deimante Daulyte-Cornette in a crucial match. This win further bolstered the team’s morale.
On the second board, R. Vaishali played a tough game against Sophie Milliet, ending in a draw. However, the third board witnessed Divya Deshmukh continuing her winning streak, securing her fourth consecutive victory by defeating Mitra Hejazipour. Earlier in the round, Taina Sachdev had also contributed to the team’s success with a win against Natacha Benmesbah.
In the open section, India’s men continued their strong showing. Arjun Erigais remained undefeated, registering his fourth win in as many games with a victory against Aleksandar Indjic. D. Gukesh and Vidit Gujrathi also added wins to the team’s tally, defeating Alexandr Predke and Ivic Velimir, respectively. However, R. Praggnanandhaa faced a tough opponent in Alexey Sarana, resulting in a draw. This mirrors his sister Vaishali’s result in the women’s event.
With seven rounds remaining in the Olympiad, India’s teams are poised to continue their strong performance and fight for the coveted gold medal. Their current form and individual performances promise exciting competition in the upcoming rounds.
