Chess Olympiad: Indian men defeat Azerbaijan, women climb to top

Powered by stellar performances from World Championship challenger D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi, the Indian men's team registered a 3-1 victory over Azerbaijan in the fifth round of the 45th Chess Olympiad on Sunday.

Both Gukesh and Arjun continued their impressive form, with Gukesh defeating Aydin Suleymanli and Arjun outclassing Rauf Mamedov, playing with white pieces.

R Praggnanandhaa, playing on board two, settled for a draw, which was sufficient to guarantee India's overall victory.

Meanwhile, Vidit Gujrathi, on board four, held Shakhriyar Mamedyarov to a draw, rounding off a win for India.

With this win, the Indian men's team extended their perfect run, notching their fifth consecutive victory to remain unbeaten with 10 points. China and Vietnam currently occupy the second and third spots on the points table, respectively.

In the women's section, the Indian team fought back from a tough start to secure a narrow 2.5-1.5 victory over Kazakhstan.

GM D Harika faced a surprising defeat against Bibisara Assaubayeva, despite holding a favorable position in the game.

However, Vantika Agarwal brought India back into the match by defeating Alua Nurman, while Divya Deshmukh drew her game against Xeniya Balabayeva. GM R Vaishali then clinched the match for India with a victory over Meruert Kamalidenova.

With 10 points, the Indian women's team now leads the standings, having overtaken China. Armenia and Mongolia trail close behind.