Chess Olympiad 2022: Pentala Harikrishna steals the show as India men's team secures 3-0 win

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Mahabalipuram, July 31: Pentala Harikrishna stole the show with his game as the Indian men's team won all three matches in the third round of the 44th Chess Olympiad in Mahabalipuram on Sunday (July 31). India A beat Greece with a 3-1 score, India B trounced Switzerland 4-0, while Team C defeated Iceland with a 3-1 score. Living up to the expectations, the India B team continued to dominate the tournament.

Harikrishna and Arjun Erigaisi brought home the full points while Vidit Gujrathi and Krishnan Saikiran were held to draws. Team B had D Gukesh, Nihal Sarin, R Praggnanandhaa, and Raunak Sadhwani claiming victories.

For Team C, Sethuraman and Abhijeet Gupta scored even as Surya Shekhar Ganguly and Abhimanyu Puranik split points. The highlight of today's round was Praggnanandhaa playing for Team B, wriggling out of an inferior position, which appeared totally lost for the most part against Yannick Pelletier.

The teenager, without giving up, continued to pose problems, making it difficult for his opponent to find a winning way. Pelletier, short on time, missed the way and ended on the losing side on the 67th turn.

Pragg appeared crestfallen despite winning a point, commenting, "I have played badly, and this point doesn't give me any joy." I struggled throughout this game in a bad position, while his Captain R B Ramesh was more pragmatic, saying, "In any professional sport one has to be ready any type of position and situations."

Harikrishna played a delightful game in a Catalan Opening against Dimitri Mastrovasilis, one which was replete with fireworks. Harikrishna was at his tactical best and launched an attack with a bishop sacrifice on the 24th turn. Black's castle was ripped open, and a well-posted knight in enemy territory started creating problems for the black King, especially with the queen also joining the action.

Harikrishna then offered the sacrifice of his second bishop on the 28th turn, which was promptly rejected. However, with Harikrishna's pieces swarming around the Black King, Dimitri decided to resign on the 29th turn.

Harikrishna, happy with the proceedings, summed up, " I gave a lot of thought before sacrificing the double bishops as I wanted to ensure my calculations were right and reckoned that if it didn't work out in a checkmating position, I held sufficient advantage to walk towards victory."

(With FIDE inputs)