Praggnanandhaa clinched a 1‑0 win over Giri, helping India finish 3‑1 against the Netherlands.
The Chennai star, fresh off a Grand Chess Tour Finals title, had been riding a hot streak, beating Carlsen twice in Norway Chess and earning Anand’s nod as the world’s top player.
The match started with a Ruy Lopez, and Praggnanandhaa slowly built pressure in the centre—Giri’s patience was tested as the board tightened. A pawn sacrifice on f5 paid off, trading a bishop for Giri’s rook on b8 and turning the tide into a sharp rook‑and‑minor endgame. With Giri’s c‑pawn threatening, Praggnanandhaa’s rook hunted it down at the right moment, snuffing out the counterplay and steering the game to a clean 1‑0 finish.
On the other boards, Erigaisi and Nihal held their own with draws, while Gukesh, sitting on board four, upset L’Ami, giving India the edge as the tournament moves forward.
Meanwhile, the women’s squad faced a setback, losing 1.5‑2.5 to Poland after Vaishali Rameshbabu fell to Aleksandra Maltsevskaya in a 57‑move London‑System grind. The defeat marks India’s third straight Olympiad loss to the Polish side, pushing the women to regroup.
Next up, India will take on host Uzbekistan in the open section, while the women’s team prepares for a fiery clash with the USA. The pressure mounts as the tournament inches toward its climax.