BUDAPEST: The Indian men’s team dropped their first point but still had enough momentum to defeat Hungary 'B' 3.5-0.5, maintaining their unbeaten record in the 45th Chess Olympiad.
In the open section, the standout performer for India was Arjun Erigaisi, who played a brilliant attacking game against Peter Prohaszka, culminating in a checkmate after a daring queen sacrifice. Meanwhile, Vidit Gujrathi had to settle for a quick draw against Papp Gabor, marking the first time an Indian men's player failed to secure a win in the tournament.
D. Gukesh convincingly outplayed Adam Kozak, while R. Praggnanandhaa capitalised on his endgame chances to outmanoeuvre Tamas Banusz, sealing a comfortable victory for the team.
Earlier, in the women's section, a shock defeat for D. Harika on the top board did not derail the team, as R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, and Vantika Agrawal delivered crushing victories to secure a 3-1 win, keeping the Indian women’s team tied for the lead with six match points.
Harika lost to Alexandra Kosteniuk, who recently gave up her Russian citizenship to join the Swiss team. Kosteniuk, a former Women’s World Champion, was in top form, claiming the full point after Harika faltered in the middle game, which initially appeared balanced.
Vaishali, playing with the white pieces, outclassed Ghazal Hakimifard, another recent migrant who left her Iranian citizenship. The game was a technical masterclass, with Vaishali capitalising on Hakimifard’s unforced errors.
Divya continued her excellent form, having recently won the World Junior Girls' Championship. She secured a routine victory against Sofiia Hryzlova, while Vantika Agrawal proved too strong for Mariia Manko on the fourth board.
In other notable results, the day saw a major upset as fifth-seeded Netherlands were defeated 1-3 by Italy in the open section. Dutch star Anish Giri’s unexpected loss triggered a collapse for the Netherlands, leading to their downfall.
With eight rounds remaining, 16 teams, including India, remain undefeated, sharing the lead with six points each. The Indian men’s team will face Serbia next, with Alexandr Predke and Alexey Sarana leading the top two boards for the Serbians. Despite being favourites, the Indian side will face a tough challenge.
In the women’s section, 16 teams, including India, are tied for the lead with six points. In the fourth round, the Indian women are set to face France, where they are expected to be the rating favourites on all four boards.
Indian Results - Round 3:
Women:
Alexandra Kosteniuk beat D Harika
R Vaishali beat Ghazal Hakimifard
Sofiia Hryzlova lost to Divya Deshmukh
Vantika Agrawal beat Mariia Manko
Men:
D Gukesh beat Adam Kozak
R Praggnanandhaa beat Tamas Banusz
Arjun Erigaisi beat Peter Prohaszka
Vidit Gujrathi drew with Papp Gabor