Samarkand (Uzbekistan): The Indian men’s chess team maintained its unbeaten run at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand with a convincing 3-1 victory over the Netherlands in the fifth round. The win kept India among the joint leaders alongside Uzbekistan and Germany.

R Praggnanandhaa, playing on the top board, delivered one of the highlights of the match by defeating Dutch star Anish Giri. The Indian grandmaster produced a patient performance in a Ruy Lopez opening, gradually building pressure before capitalising as Giri’s time began to run out.

World champion D Gukesh continued his impressive form by defeating Erwin L’Ami on the fourth board. The victory marked his fourth individual win in five games and played a key role in securing the team’s overall success.

Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin contributed with crucial draws, helping India seal another important match victory in the tournament.

However, the Indian women’s team suffered a setback after losing 2.5-1.5 to Poland. R Vaishali’s defeat proved decisive in a closely fought contest, marking India’s third consecutive Olympiad loss against Poland after defeats in Chennai 2022 and Budapest 2024.

With six rounds still remaining, the men’s team faces strong competition from leading contenders, while the women will aim to recover quickly and return to the medal race.

The Olympiad continues to provide a challenging test for India’s top players as they compete against the world’s strongest chess nations.