The Indian women’s chess team made a commanding start to their campaign at the 46th World Chess Olympiad, defeating the Dominican Republic 4‑0 in the opening round.

Top seed Koneru Humpy led the charge with a victory over Franchesca Ramirez Luzon, while R Vaishali secured a smooth win against Miguelina De La Rosa Martinez. Vantika Agrawal battled hard to overcome Mary Loly Gonzalez Peguero, and debutant B Savitha Shri celebrated her first Olympiad appearance with a confident win over Karla Mya Nunez Diaz.

The Indian men’s team also began strongly, registering a 3‑1 victory over Thailand. World champion D Gukesh, along with Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi, delivered convincing wins. Nihal struck first against Thanadon Kulpruethanon, Gukesh showcased attacking brilliance to beat Faris Rashid Alriyami, and Vidit sealed the result against Tupfah Khumnorkaew. The only setback came when Arjun Erigaisi lost to Prin Laohawirapap despite being in a strong position for much of the game.

The Olympiad, one of the most prestigious events in the chess calendar, has drawn teams from across the globe. Each squad fields four players per round from a pool of five, making depth and consistency crucial in the long tournament ahead.