India made history on Sunday as both its men’s and women’s teams won their first-ever gold medals at the 45th Chess Olympiad, triumphing in the final round against their respective opponents.
The men’s team defeated Slovenia, with D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and Rameshbabu Praggnanadhaa securing wins in the 11th and final round.
Meanwhile, the women’s team claimed victory over Azerbaijan with a dominant 3.5-0.5 score, sealing the championship title.
Previously, the Indian men’s team had won bronze medals in 2014 and 2022, while the women’s team earned a bronze at the 2022 Olympiad held in Chennai.
World Championship contender Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi were once again instrumental in India’s success in the open category. Gukesh, playing with the black pieces, delivered a tactical masterclass against Slovenia’s Vladimir Fedoseev, securing a hard-fought win. Erigaisi also triumphed with the black pieces on board three, defeating Jan Subeli in a Centre Counter defense match.
Adding to the team’s dominance, Praggnanadhaa delivered a crushing victory against Anton Demchenko, giving India a decisive 3-0 lead over Slovenia with one game still left.
The Indian men finished the tournament with an impressive 21 points out of a possible 22, conceding only one 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan while defeating all other opponents.
The Indian women then added to the celebration by defeating Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5. D Harika displayed her technical prowess on the top board, while Divya Deshmukh once again shined, securing her individual gold on the third board.
After Rameshbabu Vaishali’s draw, Vantika Agrawal’s victory confirmed India’s triumph in the women’s category.
