Defending champions India held Azerbaijan to a 2-2 draw in the eighth round of the FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand yesterday. R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, D Gukesh and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi were all held to draws by their Azerbaijani opponents.

 

Gukesh drew with Muradli Mahammad after 56 moves, while Praggnanandhaa drew with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Arjun with Aydin Suleymanli and Vidit with Rauf Mamedov. India remained in joint second place in the Open section with 13 match points. Uzbekistan and Germany share the lead with 14 match points after Germany defeated the hosts 2.5-1.5.

 

In the women’s section, defending champions India drew 2-2 with Kazakhstan and remained in joint second place. B Savitha Shri secured her seventh consecutive victory by defeating Elnaz Kaliakhmet. Koneru Humpy and Divya Deshmukh drew, while Vaishali Rameshbabu lost to Nurman Alua..