Chess Olympiad | Hail the dazzling stars who have set the gold standard!

Chess Olympiad champions India led by young talents Gukesh, Erigaisi, and Praggnanandhaa make history in Budapest.

Chess has returned home, with twin gold.

India’s men and women were crowned the planet’s best nation in the mind sport at Budapest. These ten marvellous players made history at the Chess Olympiad.

D. Gukesh, 18, Chennai, World No. 7: He was a monster on the top board — where he took on India’s toughest opponents — for two Olympiads in a row and won the individual gold on both occasions. He showed at Budapest why he is considered the favourite by many, including his opponent, for the upcoming World championship match against Ding Liren. He was brilliant against World No. 3 Fabiano Caruana of the United States and scored a Carlsenesque victory over Wei Yi of China. The two wins were crucial in India’s march to the gold.

Arjun Erigaisi, 21, Warangal, World No. 4: A phenomenal talent, he was Virender Sehwag of the team at Budapest. He scored heavily on the third board. He was the highest-rated Indian player — yes, higher than Gukesh — was going to destroy his rivals. He did. He is among the most creative players in the world. Like Sehwag, he excels in every format — long, short and the shortest.

R. Praggnanandhaa, 19, Chennai, World No. 12: Until Gukesh won the Candidates tournament in Toronto earlier this year and became the challenger for the World championship, he was perhaps the most talked about young Indian chess player. His astonishing run to the final of the World Cup at Baku last year had caught the country’s imagination. He wasn’t in the best of form at the Olympiad on the second board, but make no mistake, he could hit headlines soon.

Vidit Gujrathi, 29, Nashik, World No. 24: He already feels old looking at his teammates, but his career got a second wind when he won the FIDE Grand Swiss, one of the strongest open tournaments of all time, after starting out as the 15th seed in the Isle of Man last year. The victory not merely gave him a place in the Candidates, but more energy.

India benefited from that at the Olympiad, where he was a solid performer on the fourth board.