Source: Chess.com India’s dominance in chess reached unprecedented heights as the country made history by winning team gold medals in both the men’s and women’s categories at the
Source: Chess.com
India’s dominance in chess reached unprecedented heights as the country made history by winning team gold medals in both the men’s and women’s categories at the 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad held in Budapest, Hungary. The tournament, which concluded on September 22, 2024, marked a defining moment for Indian chess, with four individual gold medals adding to the nation’s triumph.
India’s men’s team, featuring rising chess stars like Gukesh Dommaraju (known as Gukesh D), Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi, outclassed the competition to secure the gold medal in the Open event. Their final match saw a decisive 3.5-0.5 victory over Slovenia, sealing the championship in dominant fashion. The team finished the tournament with 27 wins out of 44 games, suffering just one loss and drawing six, a remarkable testament to their consistency and skill.
On the women’s side, Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, and Tania Sachdev led the charge, defeating Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5 in their final match to claim gold. The team’s resilience throughout the tournament was evident, with standout performances across the board ensuring that India maintained its lead against tough competition from countries like Kazakhstan, the USA, and Spain.
Gukesh, Erigaisi, Deshmukh, and Agrawal further distinguished themselves by securing individual gold medals on their respective boards, capping off what was already an incredible tournament for Indian chess.
Former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand, a pioneering figure in Indian chess, hailed the victory as a “magical time for India.” Anand, who also serves as a mentor to many of the younger players, remarked that while he expected strong performances from both teams, their dominance at this year’s Olympiad exceeded even his high expectations.
“It feels like a magical time for India,” Anand said on the International FIDE YouTube channel. “This is the result of years of hard work, and it’s unbelievable to see us win both team and individual honours.”
For Gukesh D, the victory was particularly sweet, as the 18-year-old chess prodigy has also qualified for the final of the World Chess Championship in November. “We are very happy with how we played together as a team,” Gukesh said. “After some close misses in the past, it feels great to get over the line.”
Among the standout performers was 18-year-old Divya Deshmukh, who remained undefeated throughout the tournament, winning seven of her 11 games and drawing four. Her composure under pressure and ability to bounce back from challenging situations were key factors in India’s success in the women’s competition.
“It started off well but got a bit tough in the middle, but I am proud of how we handled it and fought back,” Deshmukh said during the post-tournament news conference. Her stellar performance earned praise from Hungarian-American chess legend Susan Polgar, who predicted a bright future for the Indian team. “With an absolutely amazing performance in this Olympiad, this team will stay on top for years,” Polgar wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
India’s men’s team topped the standings with 21 points, followed by the USA, Uzbekistan, China, and Serbia, all tied with 17 points. In the women’s competition, India finished with 19 points, edging out Kazakhstan with 18, while the USA and Spain rounded out the top four with 17 points each.
India’s historic double gold at the 2024 FIDE Chess Olympiad not only solidifies the country’s status as a chess powerhouse but also sets the stage for even greater achievements in the future. With a new generation of chess prodigies leading the way, India is poised to dominate the global chess arena for years to come.
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