India has won a silver medal after going down 0-2 to Russia in the final of the FIDE World Women’s Team Chess Championship on Saturday.
After losing the first match 1.5.-2-5 despite a brilliant win for D Harika on the board, the Indians were outclassed 3-1 in the second as a strong Russian team won the title.
This is India’s first-ever medal in the world team chess championship. In the second match, Harika held Goryachkina to a draw as did R Vaishali (Elo 2149) against the higher rated Alexandra Kosteniuk (Elo 2517).
However, Tania Sachdev and Mary Ann Gomes went down to higher rated Katernya Lagno and Polina Shuvalova to give Russia a comprehensive victory and the gold.
Sachdeva fought well before losing to Lagno in 53 moves and Gomes, who has been in good form throughout the tournament, succumbed to defeat in 48 moves against Shuvalova in a Sicilian Kann Variation game.
