Indian Teams Triumph in Third Round of Budapest Chess Olympiad
Despite Harika Dronavalli's First Loss, Both Men's and Women's Teams Secure Victories
New Delhi — On Friday, the Indian men's and women's chess teams registered significant wins in the third round of the Chess Olympiad held in Budapest. The men's team dominated host nation Hungary-B with a score of 3.5-0.5, while the women's team defeated Switzerland 3-1.
In the women's section, Harika Dronavalli faced a rare setback, marking the first loss for an Indian player in the tournament. Playing on the top board, she was defeated by Alexandra Kosteniuk, a former Russian representative.
The other members of the women's team ensured victory with strong performances. R. Vaishali won against Ghazal Hakimifard on the second board, Divya Deshmukh overcame Sophia Hreezlova on the third, and Vantika Agrawal defeated Maria Manko on the fourth board.
In the Open section, the Indian men's team's perfect winning streak was interrupted by Hungary's second team. After securing victories in their initial eight games, second-seeded India conceded half a point when Vidit Gujrathi was held to a draw on the fourth board by Gabor Papp, a player rated 170 Elo points lower.
However, India's young grandmasters shone brightly. D. Gukesh, R. Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi secured wins against Adam Kozak, Tamas Banusz, and Peter Prohaszka, respectively, maintaining the team's strong position in the tournament.
With eight rounds remaining, both Indian teams are poised to continue their pursuit of top honors in the Olympiad.
