24 September 2026 (Navroze Bureau)Â : India’s chess teams bounced back strongly in Round 7 of the 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with the open team defeating England 2.5-1.5 and the women’s team beating Germany 3.5-0.5.
The results restored momentum for both Indian squads after a difficult previous round in the open section.
Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh Lead India’s Open Team
R Praggnanandhaa delivered a crucial win on the top board against England’s Nikita Vitiugov, giving India an early advantage.
World champion D Gukesh then produced another victory, defeating Daniel Howard Fernandez on board four. Gukesh remained unbeaten in the tournament and his win secured the overall match victory for India.
Arjun Erigaisi drew against England veteran Michael Adams, while Nihal Sarin suffered a second consecutive defeat, losing to Luke McShane.
Despite Nihal’s loss, the wins by Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh were enough to give India the match points.
India Recover After Uzbekistan Defeat
The victory over England came after India’s 2.5-1.5 defeat to hosts Uzbekistan in Round 6.
That match had been decided by a dramatic loss for Nihal Sarin against Nodirbek Yakubboev. Praggnanandhaa and Arjun had drawn their games, leaving India without enough points to win the match.
The Round 7 victory therefore provided an immediate response for the defending champions.
Women’s Team Dominate Germany
India’s women’s team produced an even more emphatic result, defeating Germany 3.5-0.5.
Koneru Humpy won on the top board against Dinara Wagner, while Divya Deshmukh also secured a victory. R Vaishali drew her game, and teenage debutant Savitha Shri B completed the dominant result with another win.
Savitha Shri’s performance was particularly notable. The teenager extended her perfect tournament record to 6 wins from 6 games in her debut Olympiad campaign.
Women Remain in Medal Contention
The emphatic win kept India firmly involved in the fight at the top of the women’s standings.
India moved to 12 match points, while China and Kazakhstan remained among the teams at the summit after sharing points in their Round 7 encounter.
The women’s team entered the tournament as defending champions, making the strong Round 7 performance particularly significant for their title defence.
Gukesh Continues Unbeaten Run
Gukesh has been one of India’s most reliable performers at the Olympiad.
Although the reigning world champion has been playing on board four rather than the top board, he has continued to collect wins. His latest victory against Fernandez helped India secure the match against England.
His unbeaten run has added stability to India’s campaign as the tournament moves into its final rounds.
Uzbekistan Continue to Lead Open Section
India’s victory was not enough to close the gap completely at the top of the open section.
Hosts Uzbekistan maintained their perfect record by defeating China 3-1 in Round 7, recording their seventh consecutive match victory. India remained among the chasing teams on 12 match points.
The open tournament therefore remains tightly contested as the teams head into the final stages.
Round 8 Brings More Big Matches
The eighth round is scheduled for September 24.
India’s open team will continue its campaign as it attempts to remain in contention near the top, while the women’s section features another important stage in the battle for the medals.
With both Indian teams now back to winning ways, the final rounds are set to be crucial for their respective title campaigns.