Olympiad: Pragg outwits Dutch No. 1 Anish Giri for first win; sister Vaishali loses
At the 2026 Chess Olympiad, R Praggnanandhaa secured his first win by outplaying Dutch No. 1 Anish Giri in a tense Ruy Lopez, helping India beat the Netherlands 3-1. Gukesh also won, while Erigaisi and Nihal drew. India’s women suffered a narrow 1.5-2.5 loss to Poland, with Vaishali defeated by Aleksandra Maltsevskaya. Poland have now beaten India in three successive Olympiads.
New Delhi, India -- Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, an exceptional chess player, secured his first victory at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, by defeating Dutch No. 1, Anish Giri. The tournament saw a surprising choice for Praggnanandhaa to play on Board 1, which typically faces the toughest competition, including World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh on Board 4.
Known for his recent exceptional performance, Praggnanandhaa's win came in a long and drawn-out Ruy Lopez game where he skillfully outmaneuvered Giri through tactical exchanges and superior piece coordination. His win marks a significant personal milestone, surpassing even five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand's earlier assessment of his status as the number one player in the world.
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