India Retain Gaprindashvili Trophy After Men’s Silver and Women’s Bronze at Chess Olympiad

SAMARKAND, Sept 27: India retained the Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy at the 2026 Chess Olympiad after securing medals in both sections of the competition in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

The Indian men’s team finished with the silver medal in the Open section, while the women’s team claimed bronze after a 2-2 draw against Georgia in the final round on Sunday. The combined results ensured India finished as the top overall federation in the competition.

The achievement marked India’s third consecutive retention of the Gaprindashvili Trophy. The award is presented to the federation with the best combined performance in the Open and Women’s sections of the Chess Olympiad.

India entered the tournament as the defending champion in both sections after its historic double-gold performance at the 2024 Olympiad in Budapest. Although neither team was able to repeat that result in Samarkand, both squads finished on the podium.

In the Open section, India concluded its campaign with a draw against Hungary in the final round. The Indian team finished on 18 match points, level with Germany, but secured second place on the tie-break.

Uzbekistan won the Open gold after defeating Ukraine 2.5-1.5 in the final round. The hosts finished with 20 points from a possible 22, having won 10 matches and lost one.

India’s silver medal was secured after a closely contested campaign that included several challenging encounters against leading teams. The final-round draw against Hungary brought the Indian side to 18 points and left it level with Germany, which also finished on the same total.

The tie-break system then separated the two teams, with India taking second place and Germany finishing third.

The women’s competition produced another podium finish for India. The defending champions entered the final round knowing that the gold medal was no longer within reach, with China holding an unassailable lead.

India faced Georgia in the final round and played out a 2-2 draw. The result confirmed the Indian team’s bronze-medal position.

China won the women’s gold after defeating Vietnam 3-1 in the final round, finishing with 20 points. Kazakhstan secured silver after ending the tournament two points behind the champions.

India’s bronze was shaped by crucial performances in the final round, particularly from Savitha Shri B. The young player was involved in a difficult game against Meri Arabidze and managed to hold on for a draw after defending a challenging position for several hours.

Koneru Humpy also delivered an important result on the top board, defeating Nana Dzagnidze. Those results helped India secure the 2-2 draw against Georgia and confirm its place on the women’s podium.

Savitha’s defensive effort was particularly valuable because the match remained finely balanced. Her ability to withstand pressure and secure the draw prevented Georgia from gaining the advantage it needed to change the final standings.

The Indian women’s team had been unable to challenge China for the title by the time the final round began, but a victory against Georgia could have opened the possibility of moving ahead of Kazakhstan for the silver medal. The draw, however, left India in third place.

The men’s and women’s results together proved decisive in the combined classification. India’s silver and bronze finishes gave it the lowest combined placing among the participating federations, allowing it to retain the Gaprindashvili Trophy for another Olympiad.

The trophy has now remained with India across three successive editions. India first claimed it at the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai, followed that with a double-gold performance in Budapest in 2024 and retained it again in Samarkand in 2026.

The latest campaign also reflected the depth of India’s chess programme, with established players and younger competitors contributing across both sections. The country remains one of the prominent forces in international team chess, and the double podium finish in Samarkand added another chapter to that record.

The 2026 Olympiad also produced a different outcome from the previous edition. India’s men and women had both won gold in Budapest two years earlier, whereas this time the Open team collected silver and the women’s team bronze.

For the men’s squad, the silver medal came after a final round draw against Hungary and a total of 18 match points. For the women’s side, the 2-2 result against Georgia ensured a third place finish.

The overall outcome nevertheless allowed India to end the tournament with three pieces of silverware recognition: the men’s silver medal, the women’s bronze and the retained Gaprindashvili Trophy.

The conclusion in Samarkand adds to India’s growing record at the Chess Olympiad and keeps the country at the top of the combined classification for another cycle. The performances also provide a significant competitive base for India’s chess teams as they move toward the next international team events.