India Makes History with Double Gold at Chess Olympiad 2024

India achieved an incredible milestone by winning two gold medals at the 45th Chess Olympiad 2024. Both the men’s and women’s teams claimed their first-ever gold medals, making it a historic moment for Indian chess.

Men’s Team Wins Gold

The Indian men’s team secured the gold by defeating Slovenia in the final round. Star players D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanadhaa delivered strong performances to win 3-0. Gukesh, playing with the black pieces, won a tough game against Vladimir Fedoseev with a smart strategy. Arjun Erigaisi also had a key victory with black against Jan Subeli, while Praggnanadhaa sealed the deal with a dominant win over Anton Demchenko.

The men’s team finished with an impressive 21 points out of 22, only drawing one match against Uzbekistan. After winning bronze in 2014 and 2022, this is India’s first gold in the open category of the Chess Olympiad.

Women’s Team Triumphs

The Indian women’s team also brought home gold after defeating Azerbaijan with a convincing score of 3.5-0.5. D Harika led the team with a great win on the top board, while Divya Deshmukh outplayed her opponent to earn an individual gold medal on the third board. R Vaishali secured a draw, and Vantika Agrawal delivered another strong performance to confirm India’s victory.

This is the first time the Indian women’s team has won gold at the Chess Olympiad, after claiming bronze in 2022.

Star Players

Young talents like Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi played key roles in the men’s team’s success, while in the women’s team, Divya Deshmukh and Harika were standout performers. Their combined efforts helped India make history by winning two gold medals.

India’s Rise in Chess

With this double gold, India has solidified its position as a rising power in the chess world. The victory is a huge achievement and a proud moment for Indian chess fans.

Final Scores

• Men’s Team: India 3-0 Slovenia
• Women’s Team: India 3.5-0.5 Azerbaijan

This double gold win will be remembered as one of India’s greatest moments in chess.