The Indian men’s and women’s chess teams stand on the verge of making history at the 45th Chess Olympiad, with both teams leading their respective sections after 10 rounds. A gold medal victory for both teams is within reach as they head into the final round, with a range of possible outcomes determining their fate.
Men’s Team dominating Chess open section
India’s men’s team, led by World Championship contender D Gukesh, is currently at the top of the standings in the open section, having earned 19 points. Their most recent triumph came against the United States, where they secured a 2.5-1.5 victory. China, with 18 points, is in second place. As the tournament approaches its conclusion, India’s final test will be against Slovenia, while China faces a challenging match against the USA.
Key Scenarios for India’s Gold Medal in Open Section
- If India win or draw against Slovenia: India will be crowned champions, regardless of China’s result.
- If India lose to Slovenia: India can still win the gold medal as long as they avoid a 0-4 defeat. A smaller loss would ensure India’s victory due to their superior Sonneborn–Berger (SB) tie-break score over China.
- If India lose 0-4 and China also lose or draw against the USA: India will win gold based on their tie-break advantage.
How China can win Chess Olympiad Gold
China’s path to gold is narrow but possible. For China to win, they must secure a 4-0 victory against the USA, while India would need to suffer a 0-4 defeat against Slovenia.
Women’s Team Battling for Title
The Indian women’s team, led by the standout performance of Divya Deshmukh in their victory over China, is tied for the lead with Kazakhstan, with both teams holding 17 points. India’s final match is against Azerbaijan, while Kazakhstan will face the third-placed USA.
Scenarios for Indian Women’s Team to Win Gold
- If India beat Azerbaijan: India are likely to win gold unless Kazakhstan defeats the USA with a commanding margin of 3.5-0.5.
- If India draw against Azerbaijan and the USA beat Kazakhstan: The USA would overtake both teams to win the gold medal.
- If India draw and Kazakhstan also draw: India will clinch the gold based on their superior position.
- If India lose to Azerbaijan: India will miss out on gold and potentially other podium positions.
Final Round awaits in Chess Olympiad
The 11th and final round of the Chess Olympiad begins at 2:30 PM IST on Sunday, where the Indian teams will look to claim a historic double gold. With just one round left, the stakes are incredibly high, and both teams are poised to achieve greatness if they can navigate these crucial final matches.
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