Indian chess is witnessing its golden age, and the European Chess Club Cup 2025 (ECC Cup) in Rhodes has just confirmed it.
With World Champion D. Gukesh and Women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh clinching individual gold medals for their respective clubs, India celebrated a symbolic “Double Gold” a defining moment in the country’s ascent to the global chess summit. Across both the Open and Women’s sections, Indian grandmasters delivered dominant performances, collecting four individual golds (Boards 1, 2, 4, and 7) and a bronze, while playing pivotal roles in their clubs’ championship runs.
SuperChess and Monte-Carlo: The Gold Standard
The 40th European Chess Club Cup (Open) and 29th Women’s ECC Cup brought together the strongest club teams in the world an event often viewed as a de facto global team championship due to its multinational rosters. In the Open section, SuperChess (Romania) stormed to a flawless victory, securing 14/14 match points to capture the title. The backbone of this triumph was India’s own GM D. Gukesh, who anchored the top board and produced a sensational 2927 Tournament Performance Rating (TPR) the highest of the event.
In the Women’s section, Cercle d’échecs de Monte-Carlo (Monaco) continued their reign of dominance, finishing with 13/14 match points to reclaim their title. GM Divya Deshmukh, India’s 19-year-old World Cup champion, starred on Board 2 with a 2591 TPR, securing an individual gold medal and reaffirming her elite credentials.
| Section | Champion Team | Match Points | Indian Gold Medalist | Board |
| Open | SuperChess (ROU) | 14/14 | D. Gukesh | 1 |
| Women | Monte-Carlo (MON) | 13/14 | Divya Deshmukh | 2 |
Gukesh: The Champion Returns to Peak Form
For Gukesh, the ECC Cup was more than another gold medal it was a reaffirmation of dominance after a mixed run of form earlier in the year. The 2927 TPR, achieved on the most competitive board in the tournament, erased any lingering doubts about the stability of his world champion form.
His highlight came in the Round 6 clash against compatriot GM Arjun Erigaisi of Alkaloid a virtual title decider. In a finely calculated positional battle, Gukesh outmaneuvered the World No. 4 to deliver SuperChess a decisive 3.5–2.5 victory. That win not only sealed the team title but also reinforced Gukesh’s psychological edge ahead of the Chess World Cup 2025 in Goa, where both players will represent India as top seeds. What made the performance particularly remarkable was its efficiency: Gukesh joined the tournament in Round 3 and still finished with the event’s best individual result. His display served as a statement that India’s first-ever men’s world chess champion remains hungry, sharp, and unrelenting.
Divya Deshmukh: The Rising Queen of Indian Chess
If Gukesh represents India’s present, Divya Deshmukh is undoubtedly the face of its future. Playing for Monte-Carlo alongside world heavyweights like Aleksandra Goryachkina and Alexandra Kosteniuk, Divya was instrumental in her team’s march to gold. Her 2591 TPR, while surpassing her current 2498 rating, confirmed that she is not just maintaining but accelerating her rise post–World Cup triumph. With consistent wins against elite European competition, Deshmukh showcased a level of confidence and control that cements her place among the world’s top women players.
Importantly, her ECC Cup success bridges two contrasting formats — knockout (World Cup) and classical team play proving her adaptability and endurance at the top level. As the only Indian woman competing in the upcoming Goa World Cup, she now enters that stage with crucial momentum and match sharpness.
While the headlines belonged to Gukesh and Divya, the broader story of Indian success at Rhodes was one of depth the kind that signals structural dominance, not just individual brilliance.
- GM Nihal Sarin clinched Board 4 Gold for Bayegan Pendik, scoring 5.0/7 with consistency and flair.
- GM Abhimanyu Puranik won Board 7 Gold for Alkaloid, delivering 5.0/6 with an outstanding 2697 TPR — a level comparable to India’s top three players.
- GM Aravindh Chithambaram added a Board 4 Bronze for Alkaloid, contributing key points in their runner-up finish.
Together, these results underline India’s remarkable player density. Even beyond the top five GMs, India now has a pool of players operating consistently around the 2700 performance mark a depth matched by only a handful of nations globally. Supporting veterans Vidit Gujrathi and Pentala Harikrishna, who guided Novy Bor to third place, added tactical maturity and stability, highlighting how India’s balance of youth and experience is driving results across boards and formats.
The women’s contingent also demonstrated significant progress. IM Vantika Agrawal, playing for Tajfun SK Ljubljana, contributed key results for her team, which finished third overall. For India’s emerging female players, this exposure to top-tier European leagues provides critical experience and international match tempo essential for sustaining the next wave of global competitiveness.
The timing of this success could not be better. With the Chess World Cup 2025 set to take place in Goa, India’s largest-ever contingent 24 players across divisions will enter the event in peak form and confidence.
The ECC Cup served as the perfect preparatory crucible: a condensed, high-pressure, classical-format event mirroring the intensity of World Cup competition. For Gukesh, it reinforced his champion’s aura; for Deshmukh, it validated her rapid progression; and for the broader Indian cohort, it demonstrated that the country’s bench strength can deliver elite performances across any format, board, or opposition.
The Double Gold in Rhodes wasn’t just another tournament success it was a declaration. A message to the global chess community that India now stands not merely as a nation of prodigies but as a powerhouse with structural depth, sustained excellence, and international influence.
From SuperChess’s perfect 14/14 campaign led by Gukesh to Monte-Carlo’s title run powered by Deshmukh, India’s fingerprints were visible on every championship storyline.
As the chess world turns its attention to Goa, one conclusion is unmistakable
India isn’t just competing anymore. India is leading.
