India’s Strong Start at the Chess Olympiad: Dominating Wins Over Morocco and Jamaica
India’s campaign at the 45th Chess Olympiad began on a high note, though not without a few challenges along the way. Both the men’s and women’s teams showcased their strength and depth, asserting their dominance against Morocco and Jamaica in their opening matches. While the results were largely positive, there were moments of resistance from their opponents that made the games more competitive than anticipated.
In the women’s section, India’s near-perfect performance was slightly marred by a draw on the third board, where Vantika Agrawal was held to a surprising stalemate by Raehanna Brown. This result was unexpected given the significant difference in Elo ratings between the two players. Vantika, with a rating of 2370 Elo points, was 460 points higher than Brown, who was rated at 1910. For Brown, this draw was an impressive feat, as she managed to hold her ground against a much stronger player. The draw cost India half a point, but the team still emerged victorious overall.
Despite this minor setback, the rest of the Indian women’s team delivered strong performances to ensure a comfortable 3.5-0.5 victory. R. Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh, and Tania Sachdev all won their respective games with relative ease. Vaishali outplayed Adani Clarke on the first board, while Divya bested Rachel Miller on the second board. On the fourth board, Tania Sachdev secured a convincing win over Gabriella Watson, further solidifying India’s dominance.
The Indian women’s team entered the Olympiad as the top seed, though they were missing one of their key players, Koneru Humpy, who is ranked World No. 6. Despite Humpy’s absence, the team has remained formidable, with the depth of their talent evident in their first-round performance. As the tournament progresses, the team will need to maintain their momentum if they hope to live up to their top billing and contend for the championship title.
On the men’s side, the Indian team, seeded second in the tournament, enjoyed a smoother path to victory against Morocco. They swept their opponents with a commanding 4-0 scoreline, showing their superiority in every match. On the top board, R. Praggnanandhaa showcased his tactical prowess as he defeated Morocco’s top player, Mohamed Tissir. Praggnanandhaa, who has been in excellent form leading up to the Olympiad, made quick work of Tissir in a Sicilian defense game.
India’s highest-rated player, Arjun Erigaisi, was also in fine form, defeating Jacques Elbilia on the second board. Erigaisi, who is ranked among the top players in the world, demonstrated his class and strategic brilliance, never giving his opponent a chance to recover after gaining an early advantage. Vidit Gujrathi, playing on the third board, also delivered a solid win against Mehdi Ouakhir, while P. Harikrishna rounded off the victory with a win over Anas Moayad on the fourth board.
The Indian men’s team is one of the favorites to win the Olympiad, and their dominant performance in the opening round only strengthened their credentials. With a mix of experienced players like Harikrishna and rising stars like Praggnanandhaa and Erigaisi, the team has the potential to go far in the tournament. Their next challenge will come in the form of Iceland, a team that is known for its fighting spirit and will likely pose a tougher test for the Indians.