Chess Olympiad: India's men lose to Uzbekistan, surrender sole lead
The Indian men suffered their first defeat of the Chess Olympiad, going down 1.5-2.5 to hosts Uzbekistan in a sixth-round clash that saw the defending champions lose their sole lead in the open section.
Uzbekistan came into the contest as one of the strongest teams in the field, and the match lived up to its billing as a clash between two of the tournament’s leading sides. India’s top board saw R Praggnanandhaa draw against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, while Arjun Erigaisi was also held by Javokhir Sindarov.
D Gukesh, playing on the fourth board, drew with Shamsiddin Vokhidov to maintain parity in their individual contest.
The decisive result came on the third board, where Nodirbek Yakubboev defeated Nihal Sarin. Sarin had produced some impressive performances in the tournament before Monday’s round but struggled to match Yakubboev’s play.
The Uzbek player capitalised on Sarin’s unforced errors and eventually reached a queen-versus-two-piece endgame. From there, Yakubboev maintained control and did not allow Sarin a route back into the game.
With three draws and one defeat, India lost the round 1.5-2.5. The result also cost the defending champions their position at the top of the standings, with Uzbekistan moving into sole possession of the lead.
India remained on 10 points, while Uzbekistan moved to 12. Germany, another of the overnight leaders, also lost to China, further strengthening Uzbekistan’s position at the top of the open section.
The Indian women, meanwhile, were in a stronger position in their sixth-round match against the United States. They led 2-1, with Savitha Shri securing the team’s only win of the round at the time of the report. Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh both drew their games.
For the Indian men, the defeat leaves them with ground to make up in the remaining rounds. The loss was particularly significant after their strong start, with Uzbekistan now holding the advantage at the top of the table.
The sixth-round result also underlined the narrow margins at the top of the Olympiad, where a single match result can significantly alter the standings. India will now have to recover from the setback in the next rounds as the defending champions look to stay in contention.
Results (round 6 open): R Praggnanandhaa drew with Nodirbek Abdusattorov; Arjun Erigaisi drew with Javokhir Sindarov; Nihal Sarin lost to Nodirbek Yakubboev; D Gukesh drew with Shamsiddin Vokhidov).- EndsPublished By: Amar PanickerPublished On: Sep 21, 2026 23:49 IST
