Chess Olympiad, Round 8: Savitha Shri saves India in women’s section, men draw with Azerbaijan

A late equaliser from B. Savitha Shri helped the Indian women draw with Kazakhstan in the Chess Olympiad on Thursday. | Photo Credit: FIDE

A late equaliser from B. Savitha Shri helped the Indian women draw with Kazakhstan in the Chess Olympiad on Thursday. The men’s team also was held to a draw by Azerbaijan at Samarkand.

With the tournament in its business-end, it indeed was not ideal for India, the defending champion in both the sections. It could, of course, have been much worse if Savitha hadn’t been able to pull off that hard-fought win against Elnaz Kaliakhmet.

The 19-year-old from Chennai has been having a dream Olympiad debut in Uzbekistan. She has won all her seven games and is well poised to win an individual medal regardless of how her team fares. She was in a must-win situation on this day, as India was trailing 1-2 due to R. Vaishali’s loss to Alua Nurman on the second board. Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh had also drawn their games.

It was a drawn rook-pawn ending, but once Kaliakhmet erred, Savitha ensured she converted the advantage and won in 62 moves. That earned India a precious match point and now has 13 points, two less than sole leader China. On 14 points are Kazakhstan, Armenia and Mongolia.

In the open section, India is joint second with 13 points, one behind the leaders Uzbekistan and Germany. All the Indian players drew with their Azerbaijan rivals.

The day’s biggest upset was provided by Germany, which won 2.5-1.5 against Uzbekistan which opens up the race to the top. Three more rounds remain.

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Important results (eighth round): Open: India drew with Azerbaijan 2-2

R. Praggnanandhaa drew with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov; Arjun Eriagisi drew with Aydin Suleymanli; D. Gukesh drew with Mahammad Muradli; Vidit Gujrathi drew with Rauf Mamedov.

Germany beat Uzbekistan 2.5-1.5; Armenia drew with Netherlands 2-2; USA beat Serbia 3.5-0.5; China beat Poland 2.5-1.5; Czech Republic drew with Hungary 2-2; France beat Iran 2.5-1.5;

Uzbekistan (2) beat England 2.5-1.5; Ukraine beat Belarus 2.5-1.5; Spain beat Montenegro 2.5-1.5; Turkiye beat Canada 2.5-1.5; Greece beat Moldova 3-1; Israel drew with Vietnam 2-2.

Women: India drew with Kazakhstan 2-2 

Bibisara Assaubayeva drew with Koneru Humpy; R. Vaishali lost to Alua Nurman; Divya Deshmukh drew with Meruert Kamalidenova; B. Savitha Shri beat Elnaz Kaliakhmet.

Uzbekistan beat Netherlands 3-1; China beat Georgia 2.5-1.5; Mongolia beat Bulgaria 2.5-1.5; Armenia beat USA 2.5-1.5; Greece beat Ukraine 2.5-1.5; Argentina drew with Azerbaijan 2-2; France beat Italy 3.5-0.5; Poland beat Iran 2.5-1.5;

Germany beat Austria 2.5-1.5; Belarus beat Serbia 2.5-1.5; Indonesia beat Switzerland 2.5-1.5; Czech Republic drew with Hungary 2-2; Canada beat Spain 3-1.