India Defeat England 2.5-1.5 In Round 7 Of FIDE Chess Olympiad

Reigning World Champion D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa registered victories as India defeated England 2.5-1.5 in Round 7 of FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand yesterday.

Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa secured wins for India, while Arjun Erigaisi was held to a draw by veteran Michael Adams. Nihal Sarin suffered a defeat against Luke McShane. Playing with the white pieces, Praggnanandhaa defeated Nikita Vitiugov, while Gukesh, playing black, defeated Daniel Howard Fernandez. The victory helped defending champions India recover after their defeat to hosts Uzbekistan and keep their campaign on track.

In the women’s section, B Savitha Shri continued her remarkable run with a seventh consecutive victory as India defeated Germany 3.5-0.5 in Round 7. Savitha Shri remains the only player at the Olympiad to have won all seven of her games. Koneru Humpy defeated Dinara Wagner, while Divya Deshmukh beat Hanna Marie Klek. Savitha Shri, playing with the black pieces, defeated Lara Schulze. The victory kept India in medal contention with two rounds remaining in the competition.