Batumi Chess Olympiad 2018: India secure narrow win over Egypt in 7th round; women’s team held by Georgia

Batumi: World Rapid Champion Viswanathan Anand was held to a draw by Egyptian Grandmaster Amin B as India just managed to secure a 2.5-1.5 win against lowly Egypt in the 7th round of the 43rd Chess Olympiad on Monday.

File image of Viswanathan Anand.

In the women section being held alongside, Indian women played out a hard-fought draw against experienced Georgia 1 team. All the games were drawn.

For the Indian men, it was a chance to register a big victory against the lower-rated Egyptian team in their quest for a position at the podium but the sailing was not so smooth as GM Vidit Santosh Gujrathi (rated 2711) lost playing white against his much lower-rated opponent International Master Fawzy A in a queen pawn game.

Swift victories by P Harikrishna against GM Adly A and ever-reliable GM K Sasikairan against Hesham A took India to a 2.5-1.5 victory.

The women section was much closely fought with all games ending in draws with none of the players achieving a breakthrough.

On the top board, India’s highest-rated women player Koneru Humpy, playing white, was held to a draw by Nana Dzagnidze in a dutch stonewall, D Harika drew Javakhishvili in a Sicilian defence game on the second board, Arjun awardee Tania Sachdeva drew Batsiashvili on the third board.

In the fourth board also saw fortunes being equally divided between Padmini R and Khotenashvili.

India beat Egypt 2.5-1.5 (Viswanathan Anand drew Amin B; Adly A lost to P Harikrishna; Vidit Gujarati lost to Fawzy A; Hesham A lost to K Sasikiran)

Women: India drew Georgia 3-1 (K. Humpy drew Nana, Dzagnidze; Javakhishvili drew D Harika; Tania Sachdev drew Batsiashvili; Khotenashvili drew with Padmini R).