India Settle for Silver and Bronze in Samarkand but Retain Nona Gaprindashvili Cup at 2026 Chess Olympiad

India’s chess teams returned from the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Samarkand with a silver medal in the Open section and a bronze in the Women’s section, as Uzbekistan’s men and China’s women claimed the top prizes over eleven rounds of competition. Despite falling short of the double gold the country celebrated at the previous edition, India once again finished as the best overall nation — for the third successive Olympiad — and retained the Nona Gaprindashvili Cup, awarded on the combined standings of both sections.

Open Section: Silver Behind a Relentless Host

Uzbekistan’s men’s team proved the most consistent side in the Open event, timing their peaks to win the crucial moments of the key matches and securing gold. India, seeded second behind the USA, delivered broadly in line with pre-event expectations, but the margins were far slimmer than in their dominant 2024 campaign, and the silver medal reflected a tournament in which every half-point mattered.

World Champion D. Gukesh was the engine of the Indian effort on board four. Playing all eleven rounds, he amassed 8.5 points, underpinned by seven victories, before his only defeat arrived in the final round against Hungary’s Gleb Dudin. R. Praggnanandhaa contributed 6.5 points over the course of the event, while Arjun Erigaisi completed the core of the Indian line-up.

Women’s Section: Savitha Shri’s Unbeaten Run Lights the Way

The Indian women’s team finished two places below its seeding, taking bronze behind champions China. Yet the campaign produced one of the stories of the Olympiad: 19-year-old International Master B. Savitha Shri, initially travelling as reserve, went unbeaten throughout and scored nine points from ten games to clinch the individual gold medal on the reserve board.

Her winning streak at the start of the event proved decisive in offsetting dips elsewhere in the line-up, with notable scalps including China’s Zhai Mo, the USA’s Rose Atwell and Kazakhstan’s Elnaz Kaliakhmet. Her draw against Georgia in the final round, salvaged from an inferior position, helped India hold on for the podium finish.

Divya Deshmukh enjoyed a stellar run on the second board, while veteran Koneru Humpy, on top board, and Vantika Agrawal, on board four, also contributed through the grind of eleven rounds.

India’s Standout Individual Scores

A Podium Habit, If Not the Top Step

Samarkand underlined both India’s strength in depth and the widening field at the top of world chess. Podium finishes at a third consecutive Olympiad and the successful defence of the Nona Gaprindashvili Cup confirm the country’s status as the leading all-round chess nation, even as Uzbekistan and China demonstrated that converting consistency into gold remains the sport’s hardest task. With Savitha Shri emerging as a genuine find and established stars continuing to deliver across both sections, India leaves the 2026 Olympiad with silver and bronze — and a foundation that suggests the pursuit of gold is far from over.

Source

This report is based on information published by Sportstar (The Hindu) — Chess.

Official source: https://sportstar.thehindu.com/chess/india-chess-olympiad-2026-samarkand-silver-bronze-gukesh-savitha-shri/article71528142.ece