Even as the chess fever and fervour grips Chennai with the 44th Chess Olympiad being hosted at Mamallapuram, former Women's World Champion Susan Polgar feels that the rising strength of Indian players makes them favourites to grab three out of the six medals at stake. The event to be held at the Four Point by Sheraton from 28th July to 10th August has attracted a record 187 countries, with 188 Teams in the Open section and 162 in the women's sections.

"The Indian women's team has the best chance to grab the gold in the absence of Russian and Chinese teams," stated Susan, who catapulted to the top of the women's rating list at just 15 years. The Indian women's team comprising Koneru Humpy, Dronavalli Harika, R Vaishali, Tania Sachdev and Bhakti Kulkarni are seeded top for the first time and incidentally, they would be looking to clinch the first ever medal for India in the Women's section.

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