India had a near-perfect day at the Chess Olympiad on Friday, with both the men's and women's teams producing the kind of late-tournament surge that keeps title hopes alive and pressure firmly on the leaders. In the ninth round at Samarkand, the Indian men overcame a stern test from Germany 2.5-1.5, while the women were far more commanding in a 3-1 win over host Uzbekistan.
The men's match was shaped by the resilience and class of world champion D. Gukesh, who delivered the decisive point on the fourth board. Facing Alexander Donchenko, Gukesh found himself in an inferior position at one stage, but he refused to let the game drift. Instead, he fought back with precision and imagination, eventually uncovering a superb knight manoeuvre that turned the contest in his favour and carried him to victory in 54 moves with the black pieces. In a round where margins were thin and every half-point mattered, that win proved decisive.
The remaining three games in the open section were drawn. R. Praggnanandhaa split the point with Vincent Keymer, Arjun Erigaisi drew with Matthias Bluebaum and Nihal Sarin held Frederik Svane. Those results were enough to give India the team win, but the overall picture in the standings remains tight. India now has 15 points and sits in joint second place in the open section alongside Uzbekistan (2) and Armenia. Uzbekistan leads outright with 16 points, and with only two rounds remaining, the race at the top is finely poised.
The result also underlined the depth of the Indian men's squad. While Gukesh provided the winning spark, the ability of Praggnanandhaa, Erigaisi and Sarin to hold their boards ensured Germany could not force a comeback. Germany have long been regarded as one of the more dangerous teams in the field, and India's narrow win reflected both the quality of the opposition and the importance of composure in the closing stages of a major team event.
The women's team, meanwhile, produced a more convincing performance against Uzbekistan, winning 3-1 to remain firmly in the medal hunt. India's only setback came on board four, where B. Savitha Shri, who had been on a remarkable run, failed to win for the first time in the tournament. After opening with seven straight victories, she was held to a draw by Guldona Karimova. Even so, the team's overall strength was evident, with Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal all scoring wins.
Humpy drew with Afruza Khamdamova, but the victories by Divya Deshmukh over Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova and Vantika Agrawal over Nilufarkhon Imomkuzieva ensured India stayed in control throughout the match. The women's standings are equally competitive. India is second with 15 points, tied with Kazakhstan and Mongolia, while former champion China leads the field with 17 points.
The ninth round results across the event highlighted just how compressed the top of both competitions has become. In the open section, Uzbekistan beat the USA 2.5-1.5, China drew with France 2-2, Armenia defeated Azerbaijan 2.5-1.5 and Ukraine beat Georgia 2.5-1.5. In the women's event, China beat Armenia 3-1, Kazakhstan drew with Mongolia 2-2, France edged Serbia 2.5-1.5 and Azerbaijan swept the Czech Republic 4-0.
For India, Friday's double success was exactly the kind of response needed after both teams had conceded draws in the previous round. With two rounds left, the men and women remain in striking distance of the leaders, but the path to the podium will demand the same blend of nerve, calculation and endurance that Gukesh displayed against Germany. In a tournament where every board can alter the standings, India left Samarkand with momentum, belief and the sense that the decisive phase is still ahead.