Indian Chess Stars D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa to Compete in Chess Olympiad in Budapest

Indian chess prodigies D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa are set to make their mark at the upcoming Chess Olympiad in Budapest, Hungary this September. Gukesh, who will be facing off against defending world champion Ding Liren in the World Chess Championship in November, sees this event as a crucial dress rehearsal for the big showdown.

The 18-year-old Gukesh has had a stellar year so far, winning the prestigious Candidates event in Toronto in April and becoming the youngest player to compete in the World Championship finale. Joining him on the Indian team are Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, and Harikrishna Pentala, while the women’s team includes Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Divya Deshmukh, Vantika Agrawal, and Tania Sachdev.

Notably absent from the women’s team is Grandmaster Koneru Humpy, who won the bronze medal in 2022. AICF President Nitin Narang has confirmed that discussions are underway with coaches to organize a pre-event camp in late August.

India hosted the previous edition of the Olympiad in 2022, where they secured bronze medals in both the Open and Women’s categories. This year marks the 45th edition of the Olympiad, with Hungary hosting the event for the first time in an official capacity after hosting the second unofficial Chess Olympiad in 1926.

Chess fans around the world will be eagerly watching as Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa showcase their skills on the international stage in Budapest.