World No. 4 Arjun Erigaisi started India’s dominant performance by skillfully outmaneuvering Bardiya Daneshwar with his black pieces. Daneshwar was unable to withstand Erigaisi’s highly skilled display.
D Gukesh, the World Championship challenger, followed suit by defeating Parham Maghsoodloo, also playing with black pieces.Gukesh managed to outplay the Iranian towards the end of the first time-control, securing another crucial point for the Indian team.
While R Praggnanandhaa settled for a draw against Amin Tabatabai, Vidit Gujrathi showcased his superiority by outclassing Idani Pouya, contributing to India’s resounding winning margin. India scored 3.5 points as opposed to Iran’s 0.5.
With this victory, the Indian team has maintained a perfect score of 16 points out of a possible 16, while solidifying its claim for the gold medal in the open section.
Arjun’s performance in the tournament has been remarkable, as he has secured 7.5 points out of eight games, propelling him closer to the coveted 2800 rating mark.
With his live rating now at 2793 points, Arjun is on the verge of becoming only the 16th player in history and the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to surpass the 2800 rating threshold.
Inspired by Arjun’s success, Gukesh’s victory elevated his rating to 2785 points. This unprecedented feat marks the first time two Indians have simultaneously ranked among the top five players in the world.
In his game, Arjun employed the reverse Benoni opening with his black pieces, creating early complications on the board. Daneshwar could not recover from his mistakes.
Gukesh secured a victory with the black pieces, employing the Dubov variation in response to his opponent’s Queen pawn opening. Maghsoodloo’s decision to pursue unnecessary complications backfired as time pressure mounted in the middle game.
The Iranian soon found himself sacrificing a piece for a few pawns, but succumbed to a straightforward tactical maneuver that concluded the game.
Vidit opted for the Sozin variation against Pouya’s Sicilian defense, launching an irresistible attack. Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa adopted a cautious approach to neutralize any significant counter play from Tabatabai.
