SAMARKAND — India experienced a day of mixed fortunes at the ongoing 46th Chess Olympiad 2026, as the men’s team maintained their dominant championship campaign with a clinical 3-1 victory over the Netherlands, while the women’s team suffered a narrow and heartbreaking 1.5-2.5 defeat against a resilient Poland side in Round 5.

Men’s Open Section: Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh Lead the Charge

The defending champions in the Open section extended their sensational run in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, courtesy of stellar performances on the boards by Grandmasters R. Praggnanandhaa and D. Gukesh.

Having earlier recorded three consecutive draws against lower-ranked opponents, Praggnanandhaa stepped up remarkably on the top board. Playing with white pieces, he opted for a closed Ruy Lopez against the in-form Dutch star Anish Giri. Although Giri briefly seized an advantage following a rook-for-minor-piece sacrifice, he faltered in time trouble, allowing Praggnanandhaa to squeeze out a brilliant win in 58 moves.

On the fourth board, World Champion D. Gukesh displayed exceptional killer instinct. Playing with black pieces against Erwin l’Ami in a Sicilian Rossolimo variation, Gukesh capitalized on an optical blunder by his opponent. Navigating complex tactical positions smoothly, Gukesh transitioned into a winning endgame to seal another crucial point.

Meanwhile, Arjun Erigaisi played out a steady draw against Jorden Van Foreest, and Nihal Sarin split the point with Loek Van Wely. Securing a 3-1 triumph, the Indian men registered their fifth consecutive victory, keeping them firmly at the top of the standings and in strong contention for the gold silverware.

Women’s Section: Team India Suffers First Setback Against Poland

In contrast, the Indian women's team encountered their first major hurdle of the tournament, slipping to a narrow 1.5-2.5 loss against Poland.

The tight contest saw Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh, and Vantika Agrawal grind out fighting draws against Oliwia Kiolbasa, Klaudia Kulon, and Monika Socko respectively. However, R. Vaishali’s intense battle on the second board against Aleksandra Maltsevskaya proved to be the turning point, as Vaishali fell short in the endgame, handing Poland a decisive edge.

Following this narrow setback, the Indian women's team has slipped to the eighth spot in the standings with eight points, while the men remain tied near the top with 10 points. With several rounds remaining in the marquee international event, both squads will look to regroup ahead of their upcoming fixtures.