Chess Olympiad: Gukesh and Savitha stand out for India

There was no repeat of the glory of Budapest, but India’s men and women managed to climb the podium nevertheless.

India had arrived in Samarkand as the defending champion in both the open and women’s sections of the Chess Olympiad. In 2024, India had indeed created history with a show that underlined its status as a powerhouse in the mind game.

So the expectations about India retaining both the crowns were high. And the country had players to do the job. Yes, there were concerns about the form of D. Gukesh. But, the World champion opted to play on the fourth board, and not on the first, which he did at Budapest and before that at home in Chennai (Mamallapuram) in 2022.