New Delhi: India ensured a nerve-racking win over Poland to secure its first ever ticket to final event of Chess Olympiad.
World Women Rapid Champion Koneru Humpy won a decisive Armageddon game with black against Monika Socko taking the Indian team to the final of (FIDE) International Chess Federation Online Chess Olympiad.
Humpy held her nerve and pulled off a 2-1 victory in the tie-breaker for team India which had already lost the first round 2-4.
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The win now means that India whose earlier best finish in the olympiad was a Bronze will now have definitely have either a Gold or Silver medal.
India will now face either USA or Russia in the summit clash on Sunday.
Former world champion Viswanathan Anand came into his own with a much-needed win over Jan-Krzystof Duda in 78 moves in the second round after losing to his opponent in the first round.
Captain Vidit Gujrathi led the way with a win over Gzegorz Gajeswki while Humpy and D Harika also posted victories. Young prodigy R Praggnanandhaa, who replaced Nihal Sarin, was beaten by Igor Janik while Vantika Agrawal drew with Alicja Silwicka.
In the first round, Anand was tamed by Duda while Gujrathi lost to Radoslaw Wojtaszek and Divya Deshmukh was beaten by Alicja Silwicka.
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Humpy and Harika drew against Socko and Karina Cyfika respectively while Sarin posted the only win for India, beating Igor Janik, in the first round.