Archive · 17 Sep 2026
Nihal Sarin Rescues India in Chess Olympiad Thriller
India played Indonesia in the second round of the Chess Olympiad.
Nihal Sarin was in a position that looked almost impossible to win.
He and his opponent made several mistakes in a row.
Then Nihal found the best moves and changed the game completely.
He went from being two pawns down to having a winning position in only five moves.
His was the only decisive game among India’s four open-section boards.
Because the other games were draws, Nihal’s victory gave India the overall match win.
India’s women also won their match against Finland.
However, some mistakes have worried India because Uzbekistan is also playing very strongly.
Nihal Sarin overturned a losing position in five moves to defeat Indonesia’s Arif Abdul Hafiz.
His win secured India’s second-round victory after the other three open-section games ended in draws.
India’s defending champions had already lost one game in two rounds, matching their total from the 2024 Olympiad.
The Indian women’s team beat Finland, with three wins and one draw.
Uzbekistan won 3.5-0.5 against Peru, while Team USA overcame a loss on one board.
- Who
- India’s open and women’s teams, Indonesia, Finland, and leading contenders including Uzbekistan and Team USA.
- What
- Nihal Sarin rescued India with a comeback win over Arif Abdul Hafiz, while India’s women defeated Finland.
- When
- In the second round of the ongoing Chess Olympiad; the articles do not provide a specific date.
- Where
- Samarkand.
- Why
- Nihal’s win was decisive because India’s other three open-section games were drawn, securing the team victory over Indonesia.
Comeback and resilience
Warning signs and vulnerability
Nihal’s performance
Comeback and resilience
Nihal kept his chances alive, found the best moves when Hafiz erred, and converted a nearly lost position into a win.
Warning signs and vulnerability
Nihal was objectively in serious trouble, and the result may have depended partly on Hafiz’s mistakes rather than consistently superior play.
India’s title defense
Comeback and resilience
India has won both of its first two team matches and remains on course in the competition.
Warning signs and vulnerability
A loss by Arjun Erigaisi in round one and the narrow dependence on Nihal’s comeback reveal cracks compared with India’s 2024 performance.
Championship competition
Comeback and resilience
India has shown it can survive difficult matches, including the Indonesia tie.
Warning signs and vulnerability
Host Uzbekistan has started more impressively, winning seven of eight games and posing a strong challenge for the title.
- Open-section result
- India defeated Indonesia in the second round; Nihal Sarin’s game was the only decisive result.
- Nihal Sarin’s rating
- 2,718
- Arif Abdul Hafiz’s rating
- 2,428
- Women’s result
- India beat Finland with three wins and one draw.
- India’s team rating
- 2,735 average, ranking second among the 206 participating nations.
- Indonesia’s team rating
- 2,436 average, ranking 52nd among the participating nations.
- Uzbekistan’s result
- Uzbekistan defeated Peru 3.5-0.5.