India Defeats USA & Enters Quarterfinals In FIDE World Team Chess Championship

India reached the quarterfinals in the FIDE World Team Chess Championship by defeating USA on 22nd November. Indian Chess players will compete with France today.

India beat USA 3-1 in a Pool B match in the fifth round on the strength of victories from Vidit Gujrathi and SL Narayanan to advance to the quarterfinals of the FIDE World Team Chess Championship on Tuesday.

With their second victory of the competition, India will now face France on Wednesday in the quarterfinals.

To secure the triumph, Gujrathi and Narayanan each defeated Hans Niemann and Varuzhan Akobian.

Gujrathi defeated the top-ranked Niemann in 37 moves, and Narayanan defeated Akobian in 38 moves.

In their matches against Alexander Onischuk and Yuniesky Quesada Perez, respectively, Nihar Sarin and SP Sethuraman drew.

China will play Poland in the other quarterfinal; Spain will play Azerbaijan; and Ukraine will play Uzbekistan.

The India team had a mixed record in the 3rd and 4th rounds earlier. While they defeated Azerbaijan in the third round, Uzbekistan defeated India in the following round.

Gujrathi, who was competing on the top board, defeated Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, who was ranked higher, to play a key role in Azerbaijan (2662)’s late-Monday 2.5-1.5 victory.

The other three boards’ games were drawn. Teimour Radjabov, who was ranked better than Sarin, won the match, and SL Narayanan and K Sasikiran also shared first place with Gadir Guseinov & Rauf Mamedov, respectively.

To their dismay, the squad lost 0.5-3.5 to Uzbekistan in the fourth round, with only Narayanan achieving a draw against Shamsiddin Vokhidov.

Nodirbek Yakubboev, who is ranked lower than Gujrathi, defeated him, while Javokhir Sindarov defeated Sarin, who is ranked higher. In 51 moves, Jakhongir Vakhidov defeated Abhijeet Gupta to complete the route.