Chess Olympiad: D Gukesh Secures Dramatic Win Over Germany to Keep India in Gold Medal Race
World champion D Gukesh produced a remarkable turnaround to defeat Alexander Donchenko, guiding India to a narrow 2.5-1.5 victory over Germany in the ninth round of the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. The win keeps the defending champions in contention for the gold medal after a grueling match that lasted over five hours.
With Nihal Sarin drawing his game and both R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi locked in stubborn draws, India's campaign faced a critical moment. Gukesh, playing from a difficult and seemingly lost position, managed a 54-move escape to secure the decisive full point for his team.
Germany Pushes Defending Champions to the Limit
Germany entered the round as a formidable opponent, having already registered major upsets in the tournament by defeating the top-seeded United States and tournament hosts Uzbekistan. They maintained their strong form against India, challenging the defending champions across all boards.
Nihal Sarin, returning to the playing four after consecutive defeats, faced heavy pressure from Frederik Svane. Nihal managed to find precise defensive resources to neutralise the position, eventually securing a draw through threefold repetition.
On the top board, Praggnanandhaa was held to a draw by German No. 1 Vincent Keymer, who denied the Indian player any opportunities to break through. On Board 2, Matthias Bluebaum defended successfully against Arjun Erigaisi, who was unable to manufacture an advantage despite trying various tactical approaches.
Gukesh Delivers Under Pressure
The outcome of the match ultimately rested on Gukesh's board. Despite discussions surrounding his recent form and his tactical shift from Board 1 to Board 4, Gukesh has remained a reliable performer for India. Across three Olympiad editions—Mahabalipuram in 2022, Budapest in 2024, and Samarkand in 2026—Gukesh has suffered only one defeat, which occurred in an endgame against Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
While Gukesh has delivered crucial match-winning points, other members of the Indian men's team have experienced mixed form in Samarkand. Arjun Erigaisi, who won individual gold on Board 3 in Budapest, has secured only one victory in his last seven games following an opening-round loss to Thailand's Prin Laohawirapap. Praggnanandhaa has recorded two wins in eight rounds, while Nihal has registered half a point in his last three games.
Indian Women Defeat Uzbekistan
In the women's section, India strengthened their gold-medal prospects with a 3-1 victory over host nation Uzbekistan. The victory was built on decisive wins from Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal on the middle boards.
On the top board, veteran Koneru Humpy drew her match against Afruza Khamdamova. On Board 4, Savitha Shri B secured a draw against Guldona Karimova, marking her first split point of the tournament after starting with seven consecutive victories.
Vantika Agrawal, playing with the white pieces, capitalised on inaccuracies by Nilufarkhon Imomkuzieva to secure a 54-move win. Divya Deshmukh won a 72-move marathon game against Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova to complete the team's victory.
Tournament Outlook with Two Rounds Remaining
With two rounds left to play in Samarkand, both the Indian men's and women's teams occupy second place on their respective leaderboards.
The Indian women's team will face tournament leaders China in a crucial match. The men's team is scheduled to play against Uzbekistan B, where they will need a victory while hoping that Armenia can take points off the senior Uzbekistan team to assist India's title defense.
