Chess Olympiad 2024: What should India do in final round to win gold in open section?

India’s men’s team heads into the final round of the 2024 Chess Olympiad with a historic chance to claim their first-ever gold in the open section.

After a significant 2.5-1.5 victory over the top-seeded USA in the 10th round, India holds the upper hand in the race for gold, with 19 match points and a better tie-break score than second-placed China, which has 17 points.

India will face Slovenia while China has the USA as its opponent for the 11th round, making India’s way easier.

The result will be determined by the final round, and the various scenarios for India’s gold medal hopes are as follows:

If India wins or draws against Slovenia: India will win the gold, regardless of what happens in China’s match.

If India loses to Slovenia, but not by a 4-0 margin: India will still secure the gold because they have a superior Sonneborn–Berger (SB) tie-break score compared to China.

If India loses to Slovenia 4-0 and China draws or loses: India will still win the gold, thanks to their better SB tie-break score.

For China to win gold: India must lose 4-0 to Slovenia, and China would need to defeat the USA by a 4-0 margin to surpass India on the tie-break score.

In most scenarios, India is favoured to take home the gold, while China’s chances depend on an unlikely combination of results, making India’s historic victory a strong possibility.

The final round will determine the outcome, but India’s position looks promising.

POINTS TABLE – OPEN SECTION AFTER ROUND 10

(*Table updated after 10th round)