2024 Chess Olympiad: Round 11

2024 Chess Olympiad: Round 11
Sunday, 23 September 2024

India wins double gold!

Open

The 2024 Chess Olympiad in Budapest ended with a bang as India completed its “adoption” of the opposition, winning in dominating style. While one may object to this language, it is precisely what happened. Indian Open team lost only one game in 44 games. Both Dommaraju Gukesh (9/10) and Arjun Erigaisi (10/11) led the team to gold and also picked up individual board medals. The women were bolstered by Divya Deshmukh (9.5/11) and Vantika Agrawal (7.5/9).

At the final press conference, Gukesh was asked about his prospects for the championship match. We gave a very diplomatic answer and seems to be up to the challenge. He didn’t seem to take any offense at Ding avoiding a preview by sitting out the India-China match.

Viswanathan Anand was asked this question on ChessBase India but did not think much of it. Ding had lost a crucial match to Le Quang Liem in the previous round, and the former world champion thought Ding simply needed time to recover. Here are Gukesh’s comments.

“I think it is pretty clear we both are strong players and belong at the top. No point in making predictions right now. My approach will be simple: just to go there, prepare hard and play hard. Play every game with the same energy. If I keep doing the right things and be in the right mental state, I think I have fair chances.”

~ Dommaraju Gukesh, World Championship Challenger

So what does all this mean? India has made an emphatic statement by winning both gold medals. One could argue that in the women’s competition, China did not send its top four players, who happened to be the top four in the world. Nevertheless, China was still in medal contention before losing to India in the penultimate round, effectively ending their medal chances. Nonetheless, India would not be denied, winning nine matches, losing only to Poland, and drawing with the U.S.

The American Avengers get Silver

Much is made of the U.S. team, which came in as the top seed in the event. Social media is rife with the accusation that the U.S. is “buying medals,” but if you look at contending teams, many were aided by expatriate talent. Slovenia, not traditionally a top-ten chess nation, had Vladimir Fedoseev on top board and came in a surprising ninth!

England had Nikita Vitiugov, Serbia had Alexey Sarana, and Spain had Alan Pichot. Spanish women were bolstered by silver medalist Sarasadat Khademalsharieh (7.5/9), and of course, Alexandra Kosteniuk plays for Switzerland. The U.S. picked up Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova, who attends the University of Missouri. There are so many players switching federations. Some have argued that FIDE should impose a FIFA rule that players cannot switch federations once they have represented them at the senior level.

“We would have won gold easily if Nakamura decided to play!”

~ Wesley So after round 10

However, some feel that the hidden hand of U.S. chess is in the deep pockets of St. Louis. In reality, both Fabiano Caruana and Hikaru Nakamura were 100% raised in the U.S. scholastic chess system but chose different paths to make it as far as #2. Ray Robson and Sam Shankland are also 100% raised in American chess.

Indeed, in recent years, the U.S. benefited from the services of proud Armenian Levon Aronian and Leinier Dominguez, a long-time top board for Cuba. Wesley So, who came from the Philippines to the U.S. to attend Webster University, eventually settled in Minnesota. So, who won his Olympiad third medal, boldly stated that the U.S. would’ve “won easily if Hikaru Nakamura had decided to play.”

Nakamura doubted that he would’ve made a difference, but there is no question that chances would’ve increased significantly. That being said, young players are waiting in the wings with Hans Niemann (2733 @ 21), Sam Sevian (2689 @ 23), Awonder Liang (2671 @ 21), Abhimanyu Mishra (2630 @ 15), and Christopher Yoo (2603 @ 17) vying for spots in 2026. This youth team (2665 average) would’ve been ranked 8th-9th in this Olympiad!

While the future is bright for the U.S., the present isn’t so bad either with a silver medal. Aronian, who was almost upset in the first round, ended on 8/10, taking silver on board 4. It is his eighth Olympiad medal (five team and three individual). There is no telling what the composition of the U.S. team will be in 2026, but if this tournament didn’t tell us anything else, it is apparent that we are seeing a changing of the guard.

Uzbekistan in 2026!

Uzbekistan earned bronze after winning gold in Chennai, but it has both youth and experience on its side. In 2026, it will also be the hosts! In this tournament, Abdusattarov led the defense with 9/11 and 2884 TPR (silver medal), while Shamsiddin Vokhidov had 8/10 and 2779 TPR (gold medal).

Women

India sealed the deal after Dronavali Harika won her game clinching the team gold. Vankita Agrawal won the remaining game for a 3.5-.5 trashing of Azerbaijan. Harika has been a mainstay in the Indian team even when Humpy Koneru was unable to compete. However, this is the first gold after the bittersweet bronze medal in Chennai.

India had lost its match against Poland and barely held against the U.S. It fell to second place, and China was on its heels. The 10th-round matchup against China was on the shoulders of Divya Deshmukh’s win, and it was back on top. India would hold the tiebreak advantage. As is common in the latter rounds, top teams have already played each other, so you will get top teams playing countries not in medal contention.

The marquee matchup was the U.S. versus Kazakhstan, led by 17-year-old Alua Nurman.  Olympiad debutante Alice Lee fought to a draw with Nurman giving her the silver medal and leaving Nurman just off the podium. At only 14, Lee has a long career ahead of her as a possible successor to Irina Krush. Tokhirjonova lost to the ever-dangerous Bibisara Assaubayeva, while Carissa Yip clinched her gold medal with a thrilling win.

The match ended in a draw, and the world’s shift to the east became more apparent. China has dominated for decades, and now India and Kazakhstan are looking to make an impression for many years to come. India was missing Humpy Koneru, and Kazakhstan was missing Zhansaya Abdumalik, which shows just how strong nations in the east have become.

Final Press Conference

Closing Ceremonies

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