India loses in dramatic final moments of Chess Olympiad final


By: Sports Desk |

Updated: August 30, 2020 7:14:01 pm


Viswanathan AnandViswanathan Anand, was part of the Indian team that played against Russia in the final on Sunday. (Proceedings)

India stretched Russia to the brink in the final of the Chess Olympiad on Sunday, but lost in a frenzied finale, with two Indian players declaring to have lost in time after an apparent loss of internet connection to them. This was the first time that FIDE, the international chess federation, held the Olympiad in online format.

The Indian team, represented by captain Vidit Gujrathi, former world champion Viswanathan Anand, Koneru Humpy, D Harika, young prodigy R Praggnanandhaa, Pentala Harikrishna, Nihal Sarin and Divya Deshmukh, were playing in their first Olympic final against Russia.

Nihal Sarin and Divya Deshmukh lose connection with the server and waste time. India filed an official appeal against the result due to the controversial form of the ending.

FIDE said the problem is under investigation.

Deshmukh was in a winning position before the connection loss in the final round.

READ | Indian Chess Specialist T20: Nihal Sarin

At the beginning of the final, the first round had ended in a 3-3 draw. The second round was tied and the match was set for an Armageddon final before Nihal Sarin and Divya Deshmukh were declared to have lost in time.

Incidentally, India’s quarter-final victory against Armenia has also been affected by similar complaints of a server crash. The Armenian players had filed an appeal saying they had lost their internet connection, but the appeal had been rejected. Then India beat Poland in the semi-final to qualify for Sunday’s final.

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