Chess Olympiad: Savitha rescues India women as men settle for draw vs Azerbaijan

Bengaluru: Baskar was faced with a difficult choice. He could afford to back only one of his two chess-playing children. Eventually, he asked his son, Mugesh, to set chess aside and pursue academics, while the family placed its faith, and limited means, behind Savitha Shri.

Indian IM Savitha Shri, who has won all her seven games, watches teammate Koneru Humpy’s game in the Fide Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. (FIDE)

Over the past week, Savitha Shri has been on a dream run at the Fide Chess Olympiad in Samarkand with seven wins from seven rounds (she was rested in Round 5 when India lost to Poland).