India: The Indian men’s team continued its unbeaten run at the Chess Olympiad with a convincing 3-1 victory over Spain in Round 4, led by wins from world champion D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi.
Arjun put India ahead with a sharp attacking victory, before R Praggnanandhaa and Nihal Sarin were held to draws. Gukesh then completed India’s 3-1 win with a clean victory over former world championship challenger Alexei Shirov.
The result kept India among the leading teams after four rounds, while the Indian women’s team also strengthened its position with a 2-0 lead over Mongolia after wins for B Savitha Shri and Divya Deshmukh.
Gukesh delivers another clinical win
Gukesh produced one of the most impressive performances of the round against Shirov, who opted for the Sicilian Taimanov.
The Spanish grandmaster’s opening plan did not produce the desired result as Gukesh gradually seized control of the middlegame. The Indian world champion established firm control over the dark squares and began to dictate the course of the game.
Under pressure, Shirov sacrificed a rook for a minor piece in an attempt to create counterplay. However, Gukesh assessed the position accurately and found that the compensation was insufficient.
Gukesh then opened up the centre at the right moment and converted his advantage without allowing his opponent meaningful chances. The game lasted 42 moves.
The victory was Gukesh’s second consecutive win after a difficult phase earlier in the tournament. His performance against Shirov demonstrated his ability to regain momentum quickly at the highest level.
Arjun gives India an early advantage
Arjun Erigaisi gave India the perfect start with the white pieces against Maksim Chigaev.
The game featured a Queen’s Indian Defence by transposition, with both players maintaining a dynamic balance through the middlegame. Arjun gradually increased the pressure on the kingside and created weaknesses around Black’s king.
His attacking play eventually produced a decisive breakthrough. Arjun’s queen invaded the seventh rank, delivering the knockout blow and securing India’s first win of the match.
The victory gave India an early 1-0 advantage and placed pressure on Spain’s remaining boards.
Praggnanandhaa and Nihal settle for draws
Praggnanandhaa faced David Anton Guijarro on the top board but could not convert the game into a victory. The two players agreed to a draw.
Nihal Sarin also shared the point with Jaime Santos Latasa, leaving the match delicately poised at 2-1 in India’s favour before Gukesh completed the victory.
The two draws meant Gukesh’s result against Shirov was enough to secure India’s three-point team victory.
India vs Spain: Round 4 results
| Board | Result |
|---|---|
| David Anton Guijarro vs R Praggnanandhaa | Draw |
| Maksim Chigaev vs Arjun Erigaisi | Arjun won |
| Jaime Santos Latasa vs Nihal Sarin | Draw |
| Alexei Shirov vs D Gukesh | Gukesh won |
India finished the round with eight match points, while Spain remained on six.
Indian women take control against Mongolia
The Indian women’s team also continued its strong campaign, taking an unassailable 2-0 lead over Mongolia in Round 4.
B Savitha Shri maintained her perfect start by defeating experienced campaigner Munguntuul Batkhuyag. It was Savitha Shri’s fourth consecutive victory in the tournament.
World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh also secured a win, defeating Bayasgalan Khishigbaatar to give India the two victories needed to clinch the team result.
The other two games featured Koneru Humpy against Mungunzul Bat-Erdene and R Vaishali against Munkhzu Turmunkh.
India vs Mongolia: Round 4 pairings
| Board | Match |
|---|---|
| Mungunzul Bat-Erdene vs Koneru Humpy | — |
| Munkhzu Turmunkh vs R Vaishali | — |
| Bayasgalan Khishigbaatar vs Divya Deshmukh | Divya won |
| Munguntuul Batkhuyag vs B Savitha Shri | Savitha Shri won |
With Savitha Shri and Divya Deshmukh winning their games, India established an unassailable 2-0 lead in the match.
Top teams remain closely placed
The fourth round also featured several high-profile clashes in the open section. Uzbekistan faced Turkiye, while the United States took on Ukraine. Serbia met China, Germany played Poland and Greece faced the Netherlands.
Other notable Round 4 match-ups included Azerbaijan against the Czech Republic, Israel against Hungary, France against Romania, Argentina against Armenia and England against Singapore.
In the women’s section, Uzbekistan faced Argentina, Armenia played Kazakhstan and China met Hungary. Spain took on the United States, while England faced Azerbaijan.
Vietnam played Poland, Germany met Israel, Romania faced Bulgaria and Serbia played Iran.
With several leading teams still closely grouped on match points, the tournament remains tightly contested. India’s unbeaten run in the open section and the strong start by the women’s team have kept both squads firmly in contention as the Olympiad progresses.