Bengaluru: It’s only Round 2 of the Fide Chess Olympiad in Samarkand but defending champions India are already living dangerously. A day after Arjun Erigaisi lost on the top board against Thailand, Nihal Sarin, on Board 2, was three pawns down and in serious danger before he found an exchange sacrifice and a win. He was the only Indian in the Open team to earn a full point as the games on the other three boards ended in draws, with India going past Indonesia 2.5-1.5 on Thursday.
Reigning world champion Gukesh was held to a draw by 18-year-old IM Satria Duta Cahaya on Board 3, rated nearly 300 points below him, and fell below 2700 in the live ratings.
After his opening-round loss, Arjun was rested in Round 2, while R Praggnanandhaa played his first game on the top board.
Terming the decision to field Gukesh on Board 4 as “disrespectful”, American GM Wesley So offered that had he been captain of the Indian team he would have placed the 20-year-old on Board 1.
Among the surprises of the day, Norway, who are without world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen lost to 93rd seeds, Kenya, and Estonian IM Ilja Sirosh pulled off an upset, defeating former world No 2, 57-year-old Vasyl Ivanchuk of Ukraine.
In the women’s section, top seeds India registered a 3-1 win over Finland in Round 2. R Vaishali drew her game, while the rest of team picked up a point each. Second seeds Georgia though were held to 2-2 draw by 48th seeds Montenegro.
Eleven-year-old Indian-origin wunderkind and reigning British women’s champion Bodhana Sivanandan — who was a reserve player on her debut at the 2024 Budapest Olympiad — is on English women’s top board this time with two wins in two rounds.