By Alvin Huete

CHENNAI, India — Host country favorites India prevailed up above after round five of the 44th Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) Chess Olympiad as the squads finished the day with decisive wins at Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort and Convention Center, August 2.

Photo Courtesy of FIDE

Open tourney leaders India B continued their rampage at series five as 16-year-old chess prodigy GM Dommaraju Gukesh marked his fifth consecutive victory together with GM Baskaran Adhiban to dispatch Spain, 2.5 - 1.5 score.

Despite GM Praggnanandhaa losing his game at board three against GM Jaime Santos Latasa, GM Gukesh saved the day for India B as Spanish GM Shirov resigned after a d1 pawn promotion threat and wrapped the round with perfect 10/10 points.

Coming from a hard-fought draw versus the French team yesterday, India A bounced back to the competition after rising star GM Arjun Erigaisi's double bishop setup managed to better the opponent's double Knight defense at endgame and toppled Romania, scoring 2.5 - 1.5.

India A is now placed third in the Open standings with Uzbekistan, USA, Cuba, and Iran which all garnered 9/10 points.

Meanwhile, world chess champion Magnus Carlsen and the Norwegian trio demolished the less-experienced Zambia 3.5 - .5.

After a nerve-wracking round–four match-ups against Uzbekistan and USA which eventually ended in a 2-2 draw–both teams then went beast mode and decisively finished their respective games as victors.

The promising Uzbekistan team once again established themselves as a squad to be reckoned with after overkilling 4-0 versus Slovakia, while GM Leinier Dominguez went to an unstoppable pawn promotion play with the Queen at the end to carry USA back to the winning track, 2.5 - 1.5.

On the other hand, India A in the women's bracket elevated to the first place spot after board four player WGM Sachdev Tania trapped WGM Navrotescu's king with no chance to turn around and ended the day 2.5 - 1.5. 

Can India maintain at the top as the tournament proceeds? We will find out on round six of the Chennai Chess Olympiad 2022 at 6:30 PM Philippine Standard Time.


Edited by Quian Vencel Galut