45th Chess Olympiad | India Secures Double Gold in Men’s and Women’s Events

India’s chess maestros have created a historic moment at the 45th Chess Olympiad 2024, held in Budapest, by clinching team gold medals in both the men’s and women’s competitions. This is a remarkable achievement for Indian chess, placing the nation alongside China and the former Soviet Union in this elite category.

Key Highlights of India’s Triumph at the Chess Olympiad

• Team Golds and Individual Wins: India not only secured the men’s and women’s team championships but also bagged four individual gold medals.
• Men’s Open Event Victory: Gukesh Dommaraju, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi powered the men’s team to victory.
• Women’s Team Success: Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, and Tania Sachdev delivered strong performances to win the women’s title.
• Individual Board Medals: Gukesh, Erigaisi, Divya Deshmukh, and Vantika Agrawal claimed gold on their respective boards.
• Dominant Performances: The men’s team won 27 out of 44 games (1 loss, 15 draws), finishing with a 3.5-0.5 victory against Slovenia. The women’s team defeated Azerbaijan by the same score.
• Previous Achievements: India had been joint winners in the men’s section with Russia during the 2020 online edition.

Standout Performers

• Divya Deshmukh, 18, was exceptional in the women’s competition, remaining undefeated with 7 wins and 4 draws across 11 games.
• Gukesh Dommaraju and Arjun Erigaisi showcased world-class skill, further cementing India’s dominance on the global chess stage.

Historic Context

• Only China and the former Soviet Union had previously won both men’s and women’s gold medals in the same Chess Olympiad edition.
• The Indian men’s team had previously earned bronze in 2014 and 2022, while the women’s team won bronze in 2022, held in Chennai.

Chess Olympiad 2024: Final Standings (Top 10 Teams)

Men’s Teams:

1. India (21)
2. USA (17)
3. Uzbekistan (17)
4. China (17)
5. Serbia (17)
6. Armenia (17)
7. Germany (16)
8. Azerbaijan (16)
9. Slovenia (16)
10. Spain (16)

Women’s Teams:

1. India (19)
2. Kazakhstan (18)
3. USA (17)
4. Spain (17)
5. Armenia (17)
6. Georgia (17)
7. China (16)
8. Ukraine (16)
9. Poland (16)
10. Bulgaria (16)

About the 45th Chess Olympiad

• Location: Budapest, Hungary
• Format: Swiss system across 11 rounds, with 196 teams in the open section and 184 in the women’s section.
• Time Control: 90 minutes for the first 40 moves + 30 minutes for the remainder, with a 30-second increment per move.
• Scoring: Win = 2 points, Draw = 1 point, Loss = 0 points.

Swiss System Explained

The Swiss system ensures that teams face opponents with similar performance scores after each round, making it ideal for large-scale tournaments like the Chess Olympiad.

India’s Teams at the Chess Olympiad

Men’s Open Team:

• Arjun Erigaisi (World No. 4, 2778)
• D Gukesh (World No. 7, 2764)
• R Praggnanandhaa (World No. 12, 2750)
• Vidit Gujrathi (World No. 24, 2720)
• P Harikrishna (World No. 41, 2686)
• Captain: Srinath Narayanan

Women’s Team:

• Rameshbabu Vaishali
• Harika Dronavalli
• Vantika Agrawal
• Tania Sachdev
• Divya Deshmukh
• Captain: GM Abhijit Kunte

Chess Olympiad: A Global Chess Spectacle

• Biennial Tournament: Organized by FIDE (International Chess Federation), the Chess Olympiad brings together teams from across the world.
• First Olympiad: 1927 in London, with the women’s section added in 1957. Both events now run concurrently.
• Trophies:
  • Open Section: Hamilton-Russell Cup
  • Women’s Section: Vera Menchik Cup
  • Combined Classification: Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy

About FIDE

• Governs international chess competitions and organizes the World Chess Championship.
• Founded in 1924 in Paris with the motto: “Gens Una Sumus” (“We are one family”).
• Recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 1999.
• Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland.

Conclusion

India’s historic double gold at the 45th Chess Olympiad 2024 in Budapest marks a watershed moment for Indian chess. With stellar performances from both the men’s and women’s teams, along with standout individual board victories by players like Gukesh Dommaraju, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, and Divya Deshmukh, India has firmly established itself as a global chess powerhouse. This remarkable achievement not only highlights the depth of talent in the country but also inspires a new generation of chess enthusiasts to aim for international excellence.

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