India continued their winning streak in both the men’s and women’s sections of the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary. The Indian men’s team triumphed over China, while the women’s team scored a victory against Georgia. With these victories, India strengthens its position at the top of both categories, securing a perfect score of 14 points from 7 rounds.
In the Men’s section, India secured a victory over the two-time champion China, winning the match 2.5-1.5. After a tied score, attention shifted to Gukesh’s game, where he prevailed over Wei Yi in an intricate endgame, assuring 2.5-1.5 win for India. Arjun Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, and P Hariskrishna played out draws in their respective matches.
India had entered Round 7 with 12 points and continue to lead the standings expanding their point tally to 14. Iran are in second spot with 13 points, having defeated Vietnam 2.5-1.5. Iran, China, and Vietnam had all been tied at the second spot in Round 6 with 11 points, but Iran now holds the sole position as the second-highest-scoring team.
In the Women’s section, R Vaishali and Vantika Agrawal, playing with the black pieces, secured victories against Lela Javakhishvili and Bella Khotenashvili, respectively. India recorded a 3-1 victory over Georgia to maintain an impressive winning streak. D Harika and Vantika Agrawal secured draws in their respective matches.
After the completion of Round 7, the Indian women’s team has achieved a perfect score of 14 points and leads the standings by a two-point margin. Poland, Kazakhstan, and France are tied at 12 points. Poland and Georgia had were India’s closest rivals heading into Round 7 with 11 points. However, Poland’s 2-2 draw against Ukraine resulted in a point drop, while Georgia remained at 11 points following their loss to India.
Round 8 matches for both the men’s and women’s teams are scheduled for Thursday. The men’s team will face Iran, while the women’s team will take on Poland. The tournament comprises 11 rounds and will conclude on Sunday.