India did not need a perfect round to make a statement. After the defending champions suffered their first setback of the tournament against hosts Uzbekistan, R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh supplied the decisive blows as India edged England 2.5-1.5 in Round 7 of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand on Wednesday. On the other side of the competition, the Indian women’s team produced an even more emphatic response, dismantling Germany 3.5-0.5 to keep their title defence firmly alive. With both teams returning to winning ways after the rest day, India’s campaign entered the second half with renewed momentum.
The open section victory was built around the top and bottom boards. Praggnanandhaa defeated experienced English grandmaster Nikita Vitiugov, while reigning world champion Gukesh overcame Daniel Howard Fernandez to register another win for India. Arjun Erigaisi drew his game against veteran Michael Adams, leaving Nihal Sarin’s defeat to Luke McShane as England’s only success of the match. Praggnanandhaa’s victory was particularly important. Playing with the black pieces, the Indian grandmaster produced an attacking display against Vitiugov, with an opposite-side castling battle eventually turning in his favour. His tactical idea involving a piece sacrifice helped open lines against the English king and accelerated the attack.
Arjun and Adams subsequently agreed to a draw, putting the pressure on the remaining boards. Gukesh then delivered the result India needed. Playing black, the world champion capitalised on an error from Fernandez around the 40th move and converted his advantage after the time control. Nihal’s result was the blemish on an otherwise successful Indian afternoon. After his defeat in the previous round against Uzbekistan, the Kerala grandmaster was unable to stop McShane from turning a complicated game in England’s favour. The Englishman survived the tactical complications and gradually took control of the endgame to secure the full point. It was Nihal’s second successive defeat, although India’s two victories elsewhere had already secured the match.
The 2.5-1.5 result lifted India to 12 match points after seven rounds. Uzbekistan continued to lead the open standings after another victory, while India remained among the chasing teams. If the open team had to grind out its victory, the women’s side delivered something much closer to a statement win. Germany were beaten 3.5-0.5, with Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh and Savitha Shri winning their respective games. R Vaishali held experienced German player Elisabeth Paehtz to a draw. The performance was another reminder of India’s considerable depth. Humpy returned to winning ways by defeating Dinara Wagner, while Divya defeated Hanna Marie Klek. But the standout story continued to be Savitha Shri.
The young Indian produced her seventh consecutive victory at the Olympiad, maintaining a perfect 7/7 record. According to DD India, she remains the only player at the event to have won all seven games. The women’s team had already experienced a setback earlier in the tournament, losing to Poland in Round 5 before responding with a 3-1 victory over the United States. Their latest win over Germany strengthened that recovery and kept them in the medal hunt.
The timing could hardly be more important. With the Olympiad moving into its decisive stages, every match point becomes increasingly valuable. India’s women entered the round among the leading teams, with China and Uzbekistan also setting the pace. For the open team, the response to the Uzbekistan defeat was equally significant. India had begun the Olympiad strongly, winning their opening matches before the hosts ended their perfect run in Round 6. The victory over England ensured that one setback did not turn into a larger slide.
The defining feature of India’s Round 7 was not simply that both teams won. It was the manner in which they responded to adversity. The open team’s defeat to Uzbekistan had exposed how quickly one difficult match can alter the complexion of an Olympiad. Against England, India did not need four wins. Two victories from Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh, combined with Arjun’s draw, were enough to secure the match. The women’s team, meanwhile, produced the kind of result that sends a different message. A 3.5-0.5 victory against Germany, coupled with Savitha Shri’s extraordinary unbeaten run, has kept the defending champions firmly in contention.
There is still work to do. The Olympiad is a marathon of team chess, and the pressure only intensifies as the leading sides meet. But after a difficult Round 6, India have responded with two performances that keep both campaigns alive. Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh provided the firepower in the open section. Humpy and Divya supplied experience and stability for the women. And Savitha Shri continues to make the biggest individual statement of them all.
