D Gukesh steers India men to 2.5-1.5 win over Germany; India women defeat Uzbekistan 3-1

Reigning world champion D Gukesh led the Indian men's team to a 2.5-1.5 victory over Germany and the Indian women's side beat Uzbekistan 3-1 in the ninth round of the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand on September 25, 2026. The men's result moved India to 15 points with two rounds remaining in the open section.

Gukesh produced a recovery after a difficult middle phase, ultimately delivering checkmate against Alexander Donchenkov and reversing a position in which India had been staring at defeat. The women's match was more straightforward, with the team registering a 3-1 scoreline against Uzbekistan as part of ninth-round play at the Olympiad.

In the open section, two Uzbek wins over top opposition strengthened the hosts' position: Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Nodirbek Yakubboev beat Fabiano Caruana and Hans Moke Niemann respectively, while Javokhir Sindarov's loss to Wesley So proved inconsequential to the overall match outcome. The report notes that the open competition may already be tilting in favour of the local Uzbek team after that result against the top-seeded American men.

For India, the other three boards in the Germany tie finished level: Praggnanandhaa drew with Vincent Keymer, Arjun split the point with Matthias Bluebaum, and Nihal Sarin agreed a draw with Fredrik Svane. Those half-points combined with Gukesh's win produced the 2.5-1.5 overall margin.

On the women's side, Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal secured wins while Koneru Humpy and Savitha Shri were held to draws, producing India's 3-1 victory over Uzbekistan. China continued to lead the women's standings after recording a 3-1 win over Armenia.

China's women sit on 17 points and enjoy a two-point lead over nearest rivals India, with the two sides likely to meet in the penultimate round of the event; the report also notes that Zhu Jiner is leading China on board one while Koneru Humpy is not at her best. The Indian women's team still have a chance to challenge for the title if they can beat China in that potential decider.

With two rounds remaining in the open section and India on 15 points, the men's team remain in contention for a podium finish, while the women's result sets up a crucial clash against China in the penultimate round that could decide the medals.