Thu Sep 19 07:48:36 UTC 2024: ## India Triumphs Over China in Chess Olympiad Thriller
**Budapest, Hungary:** India emerged victorious in a nail-biting round seven match against arch-rivals China at the Chess Olympiad 2024. The crucial win came courtesy of rising star GM D. Gukesh, who outmaneuvered World No. 8 Wei Yi in a tense battle.
Despite strong performances from Arjun Erigaisi, R. Praggnanandhaa, and Pentala Harikrishna, the match seemed destined for a draw until Gukesh, playing with the white pieces, relentlessly pressured Wei Yi, forcing a critical error and securing victory for India.
Earlier, China’s decision to rest World Champion Ding Liren ahead of the round denied a highly anticipated clash against Gukesh.
With this win, India maintains a perfect record, leading the open section with 14 match points. Iran follows closely with 13 points, while Uzbekistan sits in third with 12.
The women’s team also enjoyed a successful round, cruising past Georgia. While Harika Dronavalli and Divya Deshmukh secured draws, Vantika Agrawal and R. Vaishali secured crucial wins. India leads the women’s section with 14 match points, two ahead of second-placed Poland.
India’s men’s team will face off against Iran, while the women’s team will battle Poland in the eighth round.
First Piper 