45th FIDE Chess Olympiad: India inches closer to victory

The 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Budapest has been a showcase of India's rising dominance in the chess world, with both their men's and women's teams displaying exceptional performance. However, China's decision-making regarding their lineup has raised eyebrows among chess enthusiasts and analysts.

India's Unstoppable Run

India's open team has been the story of the tournament, maintaining a perfect 16/16 score after eight rounds. The team, led by young prodigies like Gukesh Dommaraju and Arjun Erigaisi, has not lost a single game out of 32 played. Their latest victory, a 3.5-0.5 win against Iran, further solidified their position at the top of the leaderboard.

Gukesh's performance on board one has been particularly noteworthy. He leads the race for individual gold on the top board, ahead of even Magnus Carlsen. Arjun Erigaisi, playing on board three, has been equally impressive, winning seven out of eight games and reaching a live rating of 2792.

China's Puzzling Strategy

While India soars, China's strategy has come under scrutiny. The defending world champion, Ding Liren, has been conspicuously absent from the Chinese lineup in recent rounds. This decision has perplexed many, especially considering the upcoming World Championship match between Ding and Gukesh.

Speculation suggests that China is holding back Ding to prevent him from revealing his preparation for the World Championship. However, this strategy may be costing China valuable points in the Olympiad.

In a crucial match against India, where China needed a win, they opted to field Wei Yi against Gukesh on the top board instead of Ding. This decision backfired as Gukesh managed to grind out a win in the endgame against Wei Yi. The absence of Ding, the incumbent World Champion, from board one in such a critical match goes against the usual norm and has been a topic of much debate.

Women's Section: Poland Halts India's Perfect Run

In the women's section, Poland has once again proven to be India's nemesis. Just as in the 2022 Olympiad, Poland handed India their first defeat, winning the match 2.5-1.5. This result has created a three-way tie for first place between India, Poland, and Kazakhstan, all with 14 match points.

The match was a nail-biter, with Poland's victory secured by IM Alina Kashlinskaya's win over GM Harika Dronavalli on the top board. Despite IM Divya Deshmukh's win for India, a last-minute mistake by IM Vantika Agrawal allowed Poland to clinch the match.

Looking Ahead

With three rounds to go, the tournament is wide open in both sections. In the open category, India will face a stern test against Uzbekistan in the next round, a rematch of their crucial encounter from the 2022 Olympiad. Uzbekistan, along with Hungary, is breathing down India's neck, just two points behind.

In the women's section, the upcoming round will see Poland take on Kazakhstan, while India faces the United States - another team that defeated them in 2022.

Individual Performances

Several players have stood out with exceptional individual performances. In the open section, Arjun Erigaisi's dominant run has caught everyone's attention. In the women's section, 17-year-old Eman Sawan from Palestine has won all seven of her games, with her performance rating calculated at an impressive 2631.

Conclusion

As the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad enters its final stages, all eyes will be on India to see if they can maintain their perfect run in the open section and bounce back in the women's. Meanwhile, China's strategy with Ding Liren will continue to be a point of interest, especially as it may impact their final standing in the tournament.

The Olympiad has once again proven to be a thrilling showcase of chess talent from around the world, with emerging stars and established champions alike contributing to a memorable event. As we head into the final rounds, the chess world eagerly anticipates the crowning of the new Olympiad champions.

(The writer is a Mumbai based tech entrepreneur and a chess enthusiast)


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