Nihal’s rook sacrifice secures India win as Gukesh falls below 2700 at Olympiad

In round two of the Chess Olympiad, India's Nihal Sarin beat Arif Abdul Hafiz while Gukesh drew with Indonesia’s Satria Duta Cahaya, and India won the match 2.5-1.5.

Gukesh slipped below 2700 after the draw, his first such drop since 2022.

Three boards were drawn before Nihal produced a dramatic victory that featured a bold rook sacrifice.

The women’s team beat Finland 3.5-0.5 and will face Greece next, while the men's team will take on Italy.