India made a mark in the chess world on Sunday, winning double gold at the 45th Chess Olympiad, with both the men’s and women’s teams securing their first-ever titles.
The Indian men’s team secured a 3-0 victory against Slovenia in the 11th and final round. Grandmasters D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa won their respective matches, delivering India’s first-ever gold in the open category. Prior to this, India’s men had won bronze medals in 2014 and 2022.
World Championship challenger Gukesh was in top form, defeating Slovenia’s Vladimir Fedoseev with an impressive display of strategic play as black. Arjun Erigaisi also claimed victory with black against Jan Subeli in a surprising Centre Counter defense game. Praggnanandhaa added to the team’s dominance with a crushing win over Anton Demchenko, sealing the match with one game remaining.
The Indian men finished with an extraordinary 21 points out of a possible 22, conceding only a single 2-2 draw to Uzbekistan, while defeating the rest of their opponents.
The Indian women’s team also made history by securing their first gold, defeating Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5. D Harika shone on the top board with a brilliant technical victory, while Divya Deshmukh outclassed her opponent on the third board, earning an individual gold medal as well. R Vaishali drew her game, and Vantika Agrawal’s win confirmed the team’s triumph.
This historic double gold marks a significant achievement for Indian chess, with both the men’s and women’s teams showcasing exceptional talent on the global stage.