India shines at Chess Olympiad 2026 with fourth straight wins in Open and Women’s sections

Samarkand, Uzbekistan – The buzz in the venue’s halls was palpable on Saturday as India’s chess contingents stepped onto the board for another round of the 2026 Chess Olympiad. After three flawless outings, the pressure was on to keep the streak alive, and the players rose to the occasion.

In the Open section, India stared down Spain and emerged 3‑1 winners. Young dynamo D Gukesh opened the action with a crisp 42‑move triumph over veteran Alexei Shirov, while teammate Arjun Erigaisi wrapped up a 36‑move victory against Maksim Chigaev. On the top board, R Praggnanandhaa held his nerve, grinding out a 38‑move draw with David Anton, and Nihal Sarin, playing with the black pieces, secured a solid draw after 30 moves against Jaime Santos. The combined effort sealed a convincing team win.

The Women’s squad was no less impressive, dispatching Mongolia by the same 3‑1 margin. Divya Deshmukh and Savitha Shri both clinched full points, with Savitha remaining unbeaten in her fourth game of the tournament. The top two boards saw seasoned campaigners Koneru Humpy and R. Vaishali each settle for a draw – Humpy after an 82‑move duel with Bat‑Erdene Mungunzul, and Vaishali after a 75‑move struggle against Turmunkh Munkhzul.

These results keep India perched among the unbeaten teams after four rounds, alongside heavyweights such as China, hosts Uzbekistan, Germany, Armenia, the United States, the Netherlands and Hungary. As the Olympiad progresses, the Indian contingent looks set to continue its march, eyeing a podium finish that feels increasingly within reach.

Fans across the country celebrated the day’s achievements, flooding social media with congratulatory messages for the young stars who are quietly redefining India’s chess legacy.