Samarkand [Uzbekistan]. September 16 (ANI): Defending champions India began their campaign at the FIDE Olympiad 2026 with mixed results in the Open section, defeating Thailand 3-1 despite a shock defeat for Arjun Erigaisi, according to ESPN.
India’s current top-ranked player, R Praggnanandhaa, was rested for the match, with Arjun Erigaisi taking his place on the top board. Nihal Sarin, Gukesh Dommaraju and Vidit Gujrathi occupied boards two, three and four, respectively. With game points potentially playing a crucial role later in the tournament, Arjun’s defeat to Prin Laohawirapap could prove significant in determining India’s final position in the standings, according to ESPN.
Nihal Sarin gave India their first point of the match, comfortably defeating Thanadon Kulpruethanon with the black pieces after taking control from the opening. World champion Gukesh Dommaraju followed with a convincing win over Faris Rashid Alriyami on board three, while Vidit Gujrathi also secured a straightforward victory against Tupfah Khumnorkaew.
Hosts Uzbekistan made a strong start to their home Olympiad in the Open section, registering a commanding 4-0 win over Jamaica. Meanwhile, the USA also dropped points in the opening round, with Levon Aronian being held to a draw by Iraq’s Ali Ehsan Aryan.
India's result in Round 1 - Open section
India 3-1 Thailand
Arjun Erigaisi 0-1 Prin Laohawirapap
Nihal Sarin 1-0 Thanadon Kulpruethanon
Gukesh Dommaraju 1-0 Faris Rashid Alriyami
Vidit Gujrathi 1-0 Tupfah Khumnorkaew.
The Indian women’s team made a strong start to their title defence, cruising to a 4-0 victory over the Dominican Republic in the opening round. Koneru Humpy, R Vaishali and Savita Shri Baskar registered comfortable wins, while Vantika Agrawal faced a tougher contest on board three before securing victory.
With Divya Deshmukh rested, Vantika Agrawal was promoted to board three and played out a closely contested game against Mary Gonzalez. However, Gonzalez made a costly blunder on the 45th move, allowing Vantika to trade queens and create a clear path to pawn promotion, helping the defending champions begin their campaign with a perfect 4-0 victory.
India's result in Round 1 - Women's section
India 4-0 Dominican Republic
Koneru Humpy 1-0 Franchesca Ramirez
R Vaishali 1-0 Miguelina De La Rosa Martinez
Vantika Agrawal 1-0 Mary Gonzalez
Savita Shri Baskar 1-0 Karla Mya Nunez Diaz. (ANI)
FIDE Olympiad 2026: India beat Thailand 3-1 as Arjun Erigaisi suffers shock defeat
