Gukesh's Triumph Sets India on Course for Historic Gold in Chess Olympiad

Grandmaster D Gukesh defeated Fabiano Caruana in the 45th Chess Olympiad, pushing India closer to a historic gold medal. Team India demonstrated strength as Arjun Erigaise and Vidit Gujrathi secured critical victories, while the Indian women's team, led by Divya Deshmukh's crucial win, moved closer to a gold medal by beating China.

Grandmaster and World Championship challenger D Gukesh triumphed over Fabiano Caruana from the United States, enhancing prospects for India's maiden gold medal in the 45th Chess Olympiad.

Preparing for the next World Championship match in Singapore this November, Gukesh displayed formidable resilience, winning a tough game against top-seeded teams and higher-ranked Caruana. Employing a Catalan opening, Gukesh gained an advantage in the middle game, securing two pawns and eventually clinching a winning endgame as Caruana succumbed under pressure.

Although R Praggananandhaa lost to Wesley So, Arjun Erigaise's commanding victory over Lenier Dominguez Perez and Vidit Gujrathi's solid performance against Levon Aronian kept the Indian team's gold medal hopes alive, potentially securing the win with one round to spare. Meanwhile, the Indian women's team, with Divya Deshmukh's decisive triumph over Ni Shiqun and strong performances from R Vaishali, D Harika, and Vantika Agarwal, overcame China and positioned themselves as favorites for the gold.

(With inputs from agencies.)