45th FIDE Chess Olympiad Round 2 Highlights: India Dominates Iceland, USA and China Secure Wins

The 45th FIDE Chess Olympiad Round 2 saw some exciting matches with the Indian team dominating their opponents. In a stunning display of skill, the Indian team defeated Iceland 4-0, with Gukesh taking down grandmaster Vignir Vatnar Stefansson, Arjun Erigaisi beating GM Hannes Stefansson, Vidit Gujrathi defeating international master Hilmir Freyr Heimisson, and Pentala Harikrishna taking down GM Helgi Ass Gretarsson.

On the women’s side, the Indian team also had a successful round, winning their two game points against the Czech Republic. Harika Dronavalli, Divya Deshmukh, and Vantika Agrawal all secured victories in their games, while Tania Sachdev was held to a draw.

Notably, the Indian team chose to rest Praggnanandhaa and Vaishali in round 2, while welcoming back their top boards Gukesh and Harika Dronavalli.

In other matches, China managed to defeat Chile despite losing their first individual points, while Uzbekistan conceded half a point to Egypt. The top seeded Team USA also continued their winning streak, with Fabiano Caruana securing a win against Singapore in Round 2.

Overall, the 45th Chess Olympiad Round 2 showcased some intense battles and impressive performances from top players around the world.