Chess Olympiad 2024 LIVE: Both Indian teams had won the first round without breaking into a sweat on Wednesday. Both Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali will be rested in round 2.45th FIDE Chess Olympiad Round 2 2024 Highlights: The Indian team defeated Iceland 4-0 with Gukesh taking down grandmaster Vignir Vatnar Stefansson (rated 2531), Arjun Erigaisi beating GM Hannes Stefansson (rated 2471), Vidit Gujrathi defeating international master Hilmir Freyr Heimisson (2391) and Pentala Harikrishna (2686) taking down GM Helgi Ass Gretarsson (2450).
Meanwhile, the Indian women’s team also won their two game points against the Czech Republic with Harika Dronavalli (facing WGM Julia Movsesian), Divya Deshmukh (playing versus WIM Natalie Kanakova) and Vantika Agrawal (facing WGM Teresa Rodshtein) winning their games while Tania Sachdev was held to a draw by Martina Korenova.
The Indian team chose to rest Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali in round 2 while welcoming back their top boards Gukesh and Harika Dronavalli.
Top results from Round 2 of 45th Chess Olympiad
China lost its first individual points but managed to defeat Chile in the second round. World Champion Ding Liren drew on the first board against Cristobal Henriquez Villagra.
Uzbekistan also conceded half a point to Egypt when Hamed Wafa (2368) managed to draw against Javokhir Sindarov (2677). The Netherlands narrowly won against Belgium with two draws on the lower boards, but were never at risk of losing the match, winning 2.5-1.5.
The top seeded Team USA have won both their matches, but the team is yet to hit top form. Playing for the first time at the Budapest Olympiad, Fabiano Caruana won his game against Singapore in Round 2. But Caruana did not seem entirely convinced by the nature of their win. “At the moment, Levon (Aronian) is struggling. His game today is very dangerous for him, and we can’t really afford to lose a game. We’re playing a solid team, and they are probably going to make two draws with the white pieces.”
Results of the top matches from Round 2 of 45th Chess Olympiad
:
Open:
USA 4-0 Singapore
Iceland 0-4 India
China 3.5-0.5 Chile
Egypt 0.5-3.5 Uzbekistan
Netherlands 2.5-1.5 Belgium
Women:
India 3.5-0.5 Czech Republic
Montenegro 1-3 Georgia
Poland 4-0 Brazil
Colombia 0-4 China
Ukraine 2.5-0.5 Lithuania
Chess Olympiad 2024: Vidit Gujrathi, Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and Pentala Harikrishna are part of Team India at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: India 3-0 up
The Indian men's team has take a 3-0 lead in their second round match against Iceland with wins coming on ther top three boards. this means India will take the two match points and cannot be overhauled even if Harikrishna loses.
Here are the results:
GM Vignir Vatnar Stefansson (2531) 0-1 GM D Gukesh (2764)
GM Arjun Erigaisi (2778) 1-0 GM Hannes Stefansson (2471)
IM Hilmir Freyr Heimisson (2391) 0-1 GM Vidit Gujrathi (2720)
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: World champion Ding Liren also played his first game today
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: Tania agrees to a draw
Here are all the moves from the IM Tania Sachdev (2386) vs WIM Martina Korenova (2104) game which ended in a draw.
1 e4 e5
2 f3 c6
3 b5 a6
4 a4 f6
5 d3 d6
6 c4 e7
7 d4 exd4
8 xd4 d7
9 c3 O-O
10 xc6 xc6
11 xc6 bxc6
12 O-O d7
13 a4 c5
14 d5 f6
15 xf6+ xf6
16 e1 e8
17 g5 h6
18 xf6 xf6
19 e2 ab8
20 ae1 e7
21 b3 b6
22 a5 e5
23 g3 g5
24 d2 d4
25 e3 xe3
26 xe3 f6
27 f4 f7
28 f2 b8
29 e5 dxe5
30 fxe5 be8
31 exf6 xe3
32 xe3 xe3
33 xe3 xf6
34 e4 c6
35 g4
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: How Divya won
Here's what the final board position looked like at the end as Divya won the first game for India:
Here are all the moves from the IM Divya Deshmukh's (2483) win over WIM Natalie Kanakova (2145)
1 e4 c6
2 d4 d5
3 c3 dxe4
4 xe4 f6
5 xf6+ exf6
6 f3 d6
7 d3 O-O
8 O-O g4
9 c3 c7
10 h3 h5
11 c2 d5
12 d3 g6
13 e2 d7
14 xg6 hxg6
15 e1 fd8
16 c4 h5
17 e3 f8
18 ac1 e6
19 ed1 d7
20 c3 ad8
21 cd3 f5
22 h4 e4
23 g4 f5
24 xe4 fxe4
25 b3 xd4
26 xd4 xd4
27 xd4 xd4
28 g3 xc4
29 xb7 b6
30 e7 c1+
31 g2 c2
32 e8+ h7
33 xe4 xf2+
34 h1 g5
35 g2 xb2
36 a4 f5
37 c4 b1+
38 h2 g1+
39 h1 f2+
40 h2 b3
41 g4 g3+
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: DIVYA WINS!!!
The Indian women's chess team takes a 1-0 lead over Czech Republic as Divya Deshmukh defeats her opponent in 40 moves.
Divya takes down WIM Natalie Kanakova (who is rated 2145) to give the women's team a 1-0 lead in the contest. This is her second win in the Budapest Olympiad after she defeated Rachel Miller i nthe first round.
"Today (the game) was easier. Yesterday, the endgame was slightly difficult. Actually proud of myself for winning yesterday," Divya says on the ChessBase India broadcast.
Talking about the Indian women's team's chances, Divya Deshmukh adds: "I think we have quite a good chance. I hope that we win a medal."
The Indian team is the top seeded side in the women's section.
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: Arjun vs Hannes Stefansson
Arjun has managed to trip up his opponent, who now have THREE PAWNS queuing up on the e file. Arjun is now ahead by leaps and bounds.
Here's what the board looks like:
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: Vantika in trouble!
Vantika, who was the only Indian player who drew in the round 1, is under considerable time pressure. She needs to make 28 moves in 38 minutes.
And she has lost both her knights, while being two bishops and a pawn up.
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: Arjun on the rampage
Arjun Erigaisi, the "madman on the chessboard" as Magnus Carlsen had called in an interview with The Indian Express, is piling on the pressure on his opponent grandmaster Hannes Stefansson (rated 2471).
That pawn advancing down the h file is going to give the Iceland player nightmares. Take a look at what the board looks like:
Here are all the moves from the game so far:
1 d4 f6
2 f3 e6
3 f4 d5
4 e3 d6
5 e5 O-O
6 d3 c5
7 c3 b6
8 d2 a6
9 xa6 xa6
10 h4 c7
11 h5 e4
12 xe4 dxe4
13 g4
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: Gukesh under pressure
Gukesh, who has 21 more minutes on the clock as compared to his GM Vignir Vatnar Stefansson (rated 2531), seems to be under pressure on the board as he plays his first game at the Chess Olympiad with the black pieces. This is what his position looks like on the board.
Here are all the moves played so far. Gukesh is currently in his fifth minute of thinking his 19th move:
1 d4 f6
2 c4 e6
3 f3 h6
4 g3 b4+
5 d2 e7
6 g2 O-O
7 O-O d5
8 c2 c6
9 d1 bd7
10 f4 a5
11 c3 dxc4
12 d2 d5
13 xc4 xf4
14 gxf4 f6
15 e5 d7
16 e3 e8
17 h1 h8
18 g1 c8
19 ad1
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: Here is how the women's section has developed
India are taking on Czech Republic in the women's section. With Vaishali resting today, harika is back in the side and she's holding fort on the top board for the Indian women's team.
Here are the match-ups today:
GM Harika Dronavalli (2502) vs WGM Julia Movsesian (2198)
WIM Natalie Kanakova (2145) vs IM Divya Deshmukh (2483)
WGM Teresa Rodshtein (2159) vs IM Vantika Agrawal (2370)
IM Tania Sachdev (2386) vs WIM Martina Korenova (2104)
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: Gukesh opting for something unique
Gukesh opting for a h6 with his third move in the GM Vignir Vatnar Stefansson (2531) vs GM D Gukesh (2764) match with black pieces! A very out-of-the-box move. This is a move that would have considered bad a few years ago. because it strays from the opening theory of developing for the control of the centre!
Here's how the game has developed so far:
1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nf3 h6
4 g3 Bb4+
5 Bd2 Be7
6 Bg2 O-O
7 O-O d5
8 Qc2 c6
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: And we're off!
Here are the first moves from the four boards that involve the Indians. India are taking on iceland in the open section of the Olympiad:
GM Vignir Vatnar Stefansson (2531) vs GM D Gukesh (2764)
GM Arjun Erigaisi (2778) vs GM Hannes Stefansson (2471)
IM Hilmir Freyr Heimisson (2391) vs GM Vidit Gujrathi (2720)
GM Pentala Harikrishna (2686) vs GM Helgi Ass Gretarsson (2450)
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: A note about how the Chess Olympiad works:
Since there are 196 teams competing in the open section and 184 teams in the women’s section, a full round robin event cannot be possible. This is why the Chess Olympiad is held using a Swiss System. There are 11 rounds. And the Swiss System ensures that teams with similar points play against each other. This means that India are more likely to meet top teams like China, USA and Uzbekistan in the second half of the Olympiad in the open section. Similarly, the top seeded Indian women's team could meet strong teams like China, Georgia and Ukraine in the second half in the women's section.
What is the time control for each game at the Olympiad?
Matches at the Chess Olympiad are played in the classical time control with 90 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 30 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move 1.
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: here are the pairings for India in the women's section
India vs Czech Republic i nthe second round of the women's section at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest:
GM Harika Dronavalli (2502) vs WGM Julia Movsesian (2198)
WIM Natalie Kanakova (2145) vs IM Divya Deshmukh (2483)
WGM Teresa Rodshtein (2159) vs IM Vantika Agrawal (2370)
IM Tania Sachdev (2386) vs WIM Martina Korenova (2104)
Chess Olympiad 2024 Round 2 Live: here are the pairings for India in the open section
Iceland vs India in the open section today:
GM Vignir Vatnar Stefansson (2531) vs GM D Gukesh (2764)
GM Arjun Erigaisi (2778) vs GM Hannes Stefansson (2471)
IM Hilmir Freyr Heimisson (2391) vs GM Vidit Gujrathi (2720)
GM Pentala Harikrishna (2686) vs GM Helgi Ass Gretarsson (2450)
HOLA
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the second round of the Chess Olympiad where both the Indian teams will be looking to continue their winning momentum.