World Teams Express: India fourth in both sections
Team India had a great final day at the World Team Championship 2017. The men's team beat Norway 3-1, the women's team beat Azerbaijan with the same score. However, this performance was only good for fourth place in both the sections. While in the men's we missed out by one "match point", in the women's section it was just "1.5 game points". China won the gold in Open and Russia are the women's champion. For now we have the express report with Surya Shekhar Ganguly's take on Indian performance. Full report to follow soon.
Men outwit Norway 3.0-1.0, women beat Azerbaijan by the same margin
Crosstable Open:
| Rank | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | MP | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CHINA | * | 2½ | 2½ | 2½ | 2 | 2½ | 3½ | 2 | 3½ | 3½ | 16 | 24½ |
| 2 | RUSSIA | 1½ | * | 3 | 2½ | 2 | 2½ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3½ | 15 | 25 |
| 3 | POLAND | 1½ | 1 | * | 2½ | 1½ | 3 | 3 | 2½ | 2½ | 3 | 12 | 20½ |
| 4 | INDIA | 1½ | 1½ | 1½ | * | 2 | 2½ | 2½ | 3½ | 3 | 2½ | 11 | 20½ |
| 5 | TURKEY | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 2 | * | 2 | 1½ | 1 | 2½ | 3 | 10 | 18½ |
| 6 | UKRAINE | 1½ | 1½ | 1 | 1½ | 2 | * | 2 | 2½ | 3 | 2½ | 8 | 17½ |
| 7 | BELARUS | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1½ | 2½ | 2 | * | 2 | 3½ | 3½ | 8 | 17½ |
| 8 | UNITED STATES | 2 | 0 | 1½ | ½ | 3 | 1½ | 2 | * | 2½ | 3 | 8 | 16 |
| 9 | NORWAY | ½ | 1 | 1½ | 1 | 1½ | 1 | ½ | 1½ | * | 2½ | 2 | 11 |
| 10 | EGYPT | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1½ | 1 | 1½ | ½ | 1 | 1½ | * | 0 | 9 |
Almost everything was going just as the doctor had ordered. Russia beat Ukraine in the final round which pushed them below India. Now all that USA had to do was hold Georgia. But the Georgian women beat America 3-1. Even if Tania would have won her game we would have been fourth. But it was close call at the end.
Crosstable Women:
| Rank | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | MP | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RUSSIA | * | 3 | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 3½ | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3½ | 16 | 25½ |
| 2 | CHINA | 1 | * | 3½ | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2½ | 2 | 3 | 13 | 22 |
| 3 | GEORGIA | 1½ | ½ | * | 2 | 2½ | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 21½ |
| 4 | INDIA | 1 | 2 | 2 | * | 1½ | 2½ | 2½ | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 12 | 20 |
| 5 | UKRAINE | 1 | 2 | 1½ | 2½ | * | 2 | 2½ | 3 | 2½ | 2½ | 12 | 19½ |
| 6 | POLAND | ½ | 1 | 2 | 1½ | 2 | * | 2 | 2½ | 3½ | 3½ | 9 | 18½ |
| 7 | UNITED STATES | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1½ | 1½ | 2 | * | 2 | 2 | 3½ | 6 | 16½ |
| 8 | VIETNAM | 1 | 1½ | 1 | 1½ | 1 | 1½ | 2 | * | 2½ | 4 | 5 | 16 |
| 9 | AZERBAIJAN | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1½ | ½ | 2 | 1½ | * | 4 | 5 | 15½ |
| 10 | EGYPT | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | * | 0 | 5 |
Surya Shekhar Ganguly on Indian team performance:
"I think they showed some great chess. Vidit and Sasi were very consistent. Adhiban's game and performance was as usual roller coaster. Good to see Negi playing good chess after such a gap. Murali got few games but did show his potential. They all played well but particularly impressive were Sasi and Vidit."
Full report to follow.
Previous reports on World Teams 2017:
India has excellent chances at World Teams 2017
Opening ceremony of World Teams 2017
Live Games from the World Teams 2017
Round one: Viji's unbelievable miss
Round two: Tania powers team India to a win over USA
Round three: The tale of two Hedgehogs
R1-3 on Firstpost: World Team Chess Championship 2017: Vidit Gujrathi shows mettle, but India blunder in initial rounds
Round four: Indian explosion in Khanty Mansiysk
Round five: Egypt gives Indian a scare
Round six: Deadlock with Turkey
R4-6 on Firstpost: World Team Chess Championship 2017: India falter after initial spark in both men's, women's sections
Round seven: Adhiban! Adhiban!
Round eight: Eesha's supercharged king beats Vietnam