In a historic achievement for Indian chess, the nation secured an unprecedented double gold at the 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary, marking a pivotal moment in its chess history. On Sunday, the Indian open team, led by prodigious talents Gukesh D, Praggnanandhaa R, and Arjun Erigaisi, showcased their dominance by amassing an impressive 21 out of 22 match points. Their final round victory against Slovenia, with a convincing score of 3.5-0.5, highlighted their unwavering focus and competitive spirit.
Meanwhile, the women’s team, featuring seasoned players like Harika Dronavalli and rising stars such as Divya Deshmukh, clinched gold with a crucial win over Azerbaijan, finishing with 19 match points. This remarkable double triumph is not just a statistic but the result of years of strategic investment in chess development in India. The legacy of Viswanathan Anand, India’s first Grandmaster and former world champion, is evident in the current generation’s success. Notably, Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun all hail from the Westbridge Anand Chess Academy (WACA), an initiative by Anand to nurture young talent.
The rapid rise of these young players is particularly impressive. At just 18, Gukesh remained undefeated throughout the Olympiad, even defeating former world championship contender Fabiano Caruana. Arjun Erigaisi’s ascent to the world’s top three, behind only Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura, further underscores the depth of talent within the Indian team.
The women’s team also delivered an outstanding performance, with 18-year-old Divya Deshmukh emerging as a standout player. Her unbeaten streak and critical victory in the final match earned her an individual gold medal on board three, showcasing the bright future of women’s chess in India. The Olympiad itself was a monumental event, featuring a record 193 teams in the Open section and 181 in the Women’s competition, underscoring chess’s global appeal and the prestige of the Olympiad.
While India’s triumph was the headline, the competition for silver and bronze medals was fiercely contested. In the Open category, five teams tied for second place with 17 points, with the USA and Uzbekistan ultimately securing silver and bronze after tiebreaks. The women’s section saw Kazakhstan take silver, while Team USA edged out Spain, Armenia, and Georgia for bronze in another tightly contested race.
This double gold performance marks a significant improvement from India’s bronze medals in both sections at the 2022 Olympiad in Mamallapuram, Chennai. The shift from bronze to gold in just two years reflects the rapid development and growing confidence in Indian chess. Looking ahead, anticipation builds for the World Chess Championship later this year, where Gukesh will compete against China’s Ding Liren for the world title. A victory there would cap off an extraordinary year for Indian chess and potentially signal a new era of dominance.
