Sitges (Spain): India won a silver medal after falling 0-2 to Russia in the final chess championship Fashion World Women on Saturday.
After losing the first match 1.5.-2-5 despite a brilliant victory for D Harika on the board, Indians were beaten 3-1 in the second as a strong Russian team invaded the title of victory.
It was the first medal in India in the World Team Chess Championship.
In the second match, Harika held Goryachkina to draw like R Vaishali (Elo 2149) against the higher Alexandra Kosteniuk (ELO 2517).
Congratulations to India, runner-up of the World Women’s team championship 2021 Fide! 🥈 Achievem History …
https://t.co/n9jrsmy7ZZ- International Chess Federation (@Fide_Chess) 1633194094000HOW, Tania Sachdev and Mary Ann Gomes went to the higher Shuvalova Lagno and Polina to give Russian comprehensive victory and gold.
Sacheva struggled before losing to Lagno in 53 movements and Gomes, who had been in a good form throughout the tournament, surrendered to defeat in 48 steps against Shuvalova in the game variations of Sicilia Kann.
Previously, India lost the first match even though Harika (Elo 2450) attracted a tremendous victory over Goryachkina (Elo 2520) on the first board even though the Gulf was in Elo rank.
Gomes pulled against Alina Kashlinskaya on the fourth board.
For Russia, the former world champion Kosteniuk defeated Vaishali Young on the second board while the form of Bhakti Kulkarni hurt India when he lost to Lagno.
India, who has done it well to complete the second in the preliminary pool A by winning three matches and drawing one while losing to Russia, coming to the final after victory over a strong Georgian team.