Indian chess grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi, whose initial passion lay in cricket, recounts his accidental initiation into chess and the journey that led him to a historic gold medal at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest. The article highlights Gujrathi’s rise from a mischievous child to a champion chess player, emphasizing the team spirit and the impact of this monumental victory on the Indian chess community.
Aravindh Chithambaram will step in for Vidit Gujrathi at the 10th Vugar Gashimov Memorial Chess Super Tournament in Azerbaijan, replacing the defending champion and recent Chess Olympiad gold medalist. The tournament, a tribute to Azerbaijani chess legend Vugar Gashimov, will feature rapid and blitz formats across 10 players.
The Indian men’s and women’s chess teams continued their winning streak at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, securing their third consecutive victories. However, the women’s team faced their first loss of the tournament, with Dronavalli Harika falling to Alexandra Kosteniuk. Despite this setback, the Indian teams remain strong contenders with eight rounds remaining.
