New Delhi
In a thrilling chess showdown, the USA defeated India 5-0 in the first Checkmate event held in Arlington, USA. The match was full of tense moments, with players from both teams creating chances, but the Americans managed to secure several key wins.
The highlight was USA’s Hikaru Nakamura stunning world champion D. Gukesh, adding to the Indian team’s struggles. Playing with the black pieces, the Indian players faced tough challenges throughout the match.
Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi lost to Fabiano Caruana, while Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh was surprisingly defeated by International Master Carissa Yip. International Master Levy Rozman also defeated India’s Sagar Shah. Lastly, chess prodigy Ethan Vaz was beaten by International Master Tani Adewumi.
Despite the whitewash, the Indian team hopes to bounce back in the return match, which will be played in India with the Indians having the white pieces. Fans will be eager to see how the teams respond in the next leg of this exciting chess event.
The Checkmate series continues to bring chess to the live arena in an engaging and competitive format.