Grandmaster and World Championship challenger D. Gukesh triumphed over Fabiano Caruana of the United States, fueling hopes of a gold medal for the Indian men's team at the 45th Chess Olympiad. India defeated USA by 2.5-1.5 in the 10th round.
Scheduled to compete in the World Championship match in Singapore this November, Gukesh demonstrated his resilience in a challenging game, showcasing his composure against top-seeded opponents and defeating the higher-ranked Caruana.
Gukesh opted for a Catalan opening, seizing the initiative in the later stages of the middle game after capturing a pawn. Under pressure, Caruana faltered, losing another pawn that allowed Gukesh to enter a winning endgame.
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Earlier, R. Praggnanandhaa fought bravely against Wesley So, giving the American team an early lead, but the Indian men remained unfazed. Arjun Erigaisi maintained control throughout his match against Lenier
Dominguez Perez, holding a winning position, while Vidit Gujrathi played a solid game against Levon Aronian. If Arjun secures a victory, which seems likely, the Indian team is poised to win the event with a round to spare.
India's best performances in the Chess Olympiad include two bronze medals in 2014 and 2022. In an online Olympiad back in 2020 during COVID-19 though, India shared the gold with Russia.
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