India Wins Gold at Chess Olympiad

India's men's chess team, led by Grandmaster D Gukesh, secured their first-ever gold medal in the Open Section of the Chess Olympiad in Budapest. Gukesh's pivotal wins against top players, including Fabiano Caruana and Parham Maghsoodloo, were crucial in India's triumph. The Indian team, which includes R Praggnanandhaa, Vidit Gujrathi, and Arjun Erigaisi, remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. Gukesh, who will challenge reigning World Champion Ding Liren in November, has been in exceptional form, prompting Liren to label him as the favorite for their upcoming World Championship match. Both Indian men’s and women’s teams have dominated the Olympiad, with the women's team also performing strongly against top competitors. The Chess World Championship will take place in Singapore, with a significant prize fund of USD 2.50 million.