Grandmasters Pendyala Harikrishna and Abhijit Kunte came up with spirited performances to guide India to a 2.5-1.5 victory over the United States after Viswanathan Anand settled for an easy draw in the fourth round of the 36th Chess Olympiad at the Gran Casino in Mallorca,Spain, on Monday.
The big victory for the Indian team came on the second board when young gun Harikrishna crashed through the defences of higher rated Alexander Shabalov.
On the third board, Kunte grounded the experienced Alexander Goldin while on the fourth Sandipan Chanda went down fighting against Igor Novikov.
World Rapid champion Anand played simple yet effective chess en route to a 24-move draw with Alexander Onischuk on the top board.
Playing the white side of a Queen's Indian, Onischuk went for a complex set-up that promised a miniscule advantage to the white. But Anand's deeper understanding of the game thwarted the American.
"Onischuk is a strong player with high rating and is well versed in theory and I have no reasons to be unhappy about this result," Anand said after the game.
"I just played my normal chess, equalised and drew comfortably," the Indian added.
The game took shape in a tactical middle game with both sides going for play on the queenside before a few quick exchanges led to a balanced endgame.
"We both had to play a few precise moves towards the end as the position had some tactics," said Anand.
On the team's prospect, Anand said it was very early days to think about it now.
"Only into the 10th round we will find out what's happening," he said.
Harikrishna played the white side of a Semi Slav and quickly secured an advantage after Shabalov conceded the Bishop pair advantage.
It took no time for Harikrishna to realise the hidden tactical possibilities in his position and he launched a direct offence with a pawn sacrifice in the middle game.
Unable to work out on his defence, Shabalov created some optical counter play but his position remained difficult as the Indian's Bishops spat fire all over the board.
The American gave an exchange to complicate matters and but failed to take advantage of a blunder committed by his rival in the final stages.
After missing out on almost an elementary piece retreat which would have changed the assessment of the position upside down, Shjabalov did not get a second chance. The game lasted 45 moves.
"It was an excellent day but for that big faux pas", said Harikrishna after the game, adding "it was such a nice position and completely winning that I got a bit complacent probably. Anyway, the end was good."
Kunte masterminded a brilliant triumph over Goldin, who played a side line of the Capablanca variation against the Nimzo Indian defence.
Things appeared a bit tricky for Kunte in the middle game and after finishing his game Anand was the first to point out that his compatriot was in some sorts of trouble.
Fourth victory on the trot for Indian eves
Grandmaster Koneru Humpy scored over International Master Peng Zhaoqin as the Indian eves registered their fourth victory on the trot in the women's section.
The Indian women won 2-1 against the Netherlands, whose 15th seeding barely indicates the true strength of the team.
The onus to give a good start to the Indians was on Humpy after both IM S Vijayalakshmi and Dronavalli Harika had settled for early draws with Tea Bosboom-Lanchava and Petra Schuurman respectively and the Andhra girl's steely nerves were again on display in the long drawn encounter.
Top seed and defending champions China surged ahead in the event after beating overnight joint leaders Germany by 2.5-1.5 margin.
For the Chinese team, former World champion Xie Jun and Huang Qian scored emphatic victories over Ketino Kachiani-G and Jessica Nill respectively while World Cup champion Xu
Yuhua settled for a draw with Elisabeth Paehtz.
China took their tally to 11 points and thus became the first team to reach the double figure mark.
Russia, Ukraine and England were next in line with 9.5 points apiece while India, France and Germany were sharing the fifth spot on 9 points each.
The United States, Poland, Vietnam and Sweden were not far behind, on 8.5 points, with 10 rounds still remaining in the event.
It was the King's Indian defence that gave Humpy the crucial victory.
"I knew I had to go for a win after both my team mates had drawn. I even took some risks and that paid off well in the end," said the star performer after the gruelling contest.
The middle game was of violent nature and Zhaoqin apparently had a good advantage to boast off but Humpy, with her never-say-die attitude, warded off white's threat in style and generated play on the king side.
Running out of time in the middle game, Zhaoqin failed to sustain the pressure and lost an exchange with some counter play still remaining. The game lasted 45 moves.
"I think I should have won quicker than I did, my technique was not all that good today," Humpy said.
For Vijayalakshmi, on the second board, it was certainly not what she had wished for.
Having come well armed to tackle Lanchava, who played black, Vijayalakshmi was in for a surprise very early as she was up against a Phillidor, an opening that her opponent used for the first time.
The surprise did not end here as Vijaxalakshmi, in trying to play simple, went for the early trade of queens that guaranteed white a tiny advantage rather than the trademark complications.
Soon a roughly balanced position was on the board and Lanchava came up with the draw offer after 11th move that prompted the Indian to discuss the matter with captain and trainer GM Ruslan Scherbakov of Russia.
It is common practice in a team event to refer the draw proposals to the captain and seek his advise.
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