Chess Olympiad 2026: Day 2 Review
Day 2 of the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand gave India a tougher match in the Open section, while the women's team continued its winning start. The Open team defeated Indonesia 2.5-1.5. The women's team beat Finland 3.5-0.5. For the Open team, the result came down to one game.
India 2.5-1.5 Indonesia
Arjun Erigaisi was rested after his loss in Round 1. Praggnanandhaa moved to the top board, followed by Nihal Sarin, Gukesh and Vidit Gujrathi.
Praggnanandhaa played Susanto Megaranto with Black. The game lasted 79 moves, but neither player could create a decisive advantage. Gukesh also drew his game against 18-year-old IM Satria Duta Cahaya. Vidit Gujrathi's game against Nayaka Budhidharma ended in another draw. That left Nihal Sarin's game as the only decisive result of the match.
And India needed it very desperately.
Nihal's Escape
Nihal was in serious trouble against IM Arif Abdul Hafiz. At one point, Nihal was three pawns down and Indonesia looked set to take the lead in the match.
Then the position changed. A series of inaccuracies between moves 21 and 26 gave Nihal the opportunity to fight back. He found the tactical idea 28.Rxc6!, sacrificing the exchange and opening lines toward the black king.
The attack changed the evaluation of the game. Nihal eventually won, giving India the only full point of the match and securing the 2.5-1.5 victory. It was Nihal's second win in two rounds.
For the second day in a row, India had needed a result from one player to compensate for the other boards.
Gukesh's Drops Below 2700!
Gukesh's game attracted attention for another reason. The World Champion drew with Satria Duta Cahaya, who is rated nearly 300 points below him. The result also took Gukesh's live rating below 2700 for the first time since 2022.
The rating number itself is not important to India's team result. Gukesh's half-point was enough because Nihal converted his game.
But it adds another small storyline to the tournament: Gukesh's decision to play Board 3 in this round is part of India's unusual board-order strategy.
The Women's Team Keeps Winning
The women's team had a more comfortable day. India defeated Finland 3.5-0.5 as Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, Savitha Shri won their respective game and Vaishali drew
Vaishali's game against Anastasia Keinanen lasted 88 moves before ending in a draw. Vantika produced the quickest win for India, finishing her game in 22 moves.
After two rounds, Vantika and Savitha had both scored 2/2. Humpy was rested for the round.
Two Rounds, Two Different Indian Stories
The Open team has won both matches, but the scorelines have not told the whole story.
Round 1:
India beat Thailand 3-1, but Arjun lost.
Round 2:
India beat Indonesia 2.5-1.5, with Nihal rescuing the match.
So far, India's Open team has been getting the match points, but not every board has been producing the expected results with Nihal being the only exception.
He has scored 2/2, and both wins have contributed directly to India's victories.
India Is Not The Only Team Struggling
India was not the only top team to have problems. Norway, playing without Magnus Carlsen, lost to Kenya, while several other high-rated teams had to work hard to avoid losing match points.
That is becoming a theme of this Olympiad. The difference between the top teams and the rest is large on paper. Over the board, the gap can disappear quickly.
Looking Ahead
The Open team's next opponent is Italy, while the in-form Women's team faces Greece. For the Open team, Italy should provide a stronger test than the first two rounds. The key questions are simple:
Can Arjun return after his rest and get his first point?
Can Nihal continue his 100% start?
And can Gukesh turn his next game into a win?
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