India men win silver at FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026; women’s team bags bronze
India failed to defend their Olympiad crown in both divisions
Team India secured the silver medal in the open section of the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, after being held to a 2-2 draw by Hungary in the 11th and final round on Sunday, September 27.
This result officially ended India’s Chess Olympiad title defence, finishing second with 18 match points and 28.5 game points. India’s dropped points against Hungary confirmed Uzbekistan as the gold medallists.
The Indian women’s team, meanwhile, won a bronze medal after a 2-2 draw against Georgia in the final round on Sunday.
The defending champions, having won the title in Budapest 2024, finished third behind gold medallists China and silver medallists Kazakhstan.
Uzbekistan wins men’s gold
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The host nation defeated Ukraine in their final match but was already confirmed to be champions due to an unassailable lead over India. This marked the Central Asian nation’s second-ever Chess Olympiad title and their first since 2022.
Germany, too, finished level with India on match and game points, but the latter took silver on the direct-encounter tiebreak. India had defeated Germany earlier in the tournament.
Also Read: Chess Olympiad : Full list of title winners
India falters in tense finale
India entered the final day of the 46th Chess Olympiad in a tough spot, needing a win and results elsewhere going their way to have a shot at retaining their title.
Earlier in Round 10, India defeated Uzbekistan’s second team 3.5-0.5, with R Praggnanandhaa, Nihal Sarin, and D Gukesh securing wins.
However, Gukesh failed to replicate that form against Hungary on Sunday, with the world champion losing to Gleb Dudin on Board 4.
Arjun Erigaisi engineered a brilliant comeback, beating veteran Peter Leko to secure a vital match point for India.
Georgia holds Indian women’s team
The Indian women’s team entered the final round needing a win against Georgia to challenge Kazakhstan for the silver medal. However, the final-day draw meant that India had to settle for a bronze medal.
Young Savitha Shri B did exceedingly well to secure a draw against Meri Arabidze. Koneru Humpy then secured a win against Nana Dzagnidze to secure a crucial draw for her side.
China, meanwhile, had built an unassailable two-point lead at the top before the final round, confirming their women’s gold medal.
What did Team India win at FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026?
India won the silver medal in the open section of the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
What did India’s women’s team win at Chess Olympiad 2026?
India’s women’s team won the bronze medal after drawing 2-2 against Georgia in the final round.
Who won the FIDE Chess Olympiad 2026?
Uzbekistan won the gold medal in the open section, while China won the women’s title.
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