Chennai, July 15 : For the second time in succession, a five-member Indian chess team is likely to be seeded second in the Open section of the upcoming Budapest Olympiad to be held this September. It was in the 44th Chess Olympiad held in Chennai in 2022 that the Indian team was seeded second.

The top-seeded team is likely to be the USA as its top seven players are all above 2700 points with Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura with a rating point of 2802 as the highest-ranked member of the team. 'If the best of the United States players are playing, say GMs Fabiano Caruana, Nakamura, Wesley So, Levon Aronian, Leinier Dominguez Perez they could be top seeds,' Indian GM Pravin Thipsay told IANS.

The seeding is based on the average ratings of the team members.

On the other hand, the average rating of the five Indian players comes to 2742.6 with four players being super Grandmasters (GM) with a rating over 2700 points while GM P. Harikrishna has a rating of 2695.

The International Chess Federation or FIDE is likely to rank India second after the USA based on the average ratings of its top 10 players.

'The Indian team would comprise of GMs Arjun Erigaisi (World No.4 Rating 2778), Dommaraju Gukesh (Rank 7, Rating 2763), R. Praggnanandhaa (Rank 8, Rating 2757), Vidit Santhosh Gujrathi (Rank 22, Rating 2720) and the reserve P. Harikrishna (Rank 37, Rating 2695),' GM Abhijit Kunte, Chief Coach and Chairman, Selection Committee, All-India Chess Federation (AICF) told IANS.

Interestingly GM V.R. Aravindh Chithambaram has a rating of 2703, higher than that of Harikrishna.

Queried about it Nitin Narang, President AICF told IANS: 'As per the selection regulations of AICF, the Indian team for the Olympiad will be selected three months before the scheduled start of the event after publication of June 2024 FRL (FIDE Rating List) based on the average rating of FRLs of April, May, and June 2024 (three months FRLs prior to selection date).'

Continuing further, Narang said, 'The players need to play at least nine games in the last six months (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May & Jun 2024 FRLs) prior to selection date to consider for selection. Further, a bonus of 25 points will be added to the average rating of national champions.'

However, he didn't give the details as to how Harikrishna scored over Chithambaram on the above criteria.

Be that as it may, not long ago the Indian team was seeded way down the line.

'We were generally always between 20-35 till Anand (GM V. Anand) got into the team. In 1992, we were the 19th seed, far away from top seed Russia and England, the second seed. When we beat England in Manila in 1992, it was all in the headlines. Anand drew with Short, Barua with Nunn, and Prasad with Speelman. I beat Michael Adams. Generally, we were rarely in the top 15. My last Olympiad was in 2002. Thereafter, there was a gradual improvement with Sasikiran, Ganguly, and Harikrishna becoming stronger. And 2022 was the highest seeding ever,' said Thipsay, who had represented India in seven Olympiads.

Looking back at the Indian Olympiad teams being ranked between 20-35 not very long ago and now orbiting at the top, Thipsay said: 'I think a great feeling of being elevated due to the efforts, sacrifices of the players and parents.'

According to Thipsay, India was always stronger than some of the Asian countries, all African, Australian, and most of the South American teams.

As to the benefits enjoyed by the top-seeded teams, players said the teams will get relatively weaker teams during the initial rounds. 'Top teams in general get good hotels but that has been the case for decades,' GM and coach R.B. Ramesh told IANS.

Further, such hotels will be closer to the venue reducing the travel time. 'Actually, it could affect, and lead to performance consciousness for most players. However, the players with lower self-confidence benefit by top seeding,' Thipsay added.

As to the medal chances for the Indian team, Ramesh said: 'If we play as a team we have good chances.'

/IANS