India, Sept. 26 -- For much of Friday, D Gukesh looked headed for defeat. Then the world champion turned the game and India's fortunes on their head, powering them to a 2.5-1.5 win over Germany in Round 9 of the Fide Chess Olympiad in Samarkand.

Defending champions India are now just a point behind leaders Uzbekistan at 15 points. The two other teams on the same points as India are Uzbekistan 2 and Armenia. Two rounds remain.

"For a long time, I felt I should be slightly better but I couldn't find a breakthrough," Gukesh, who had Black against Alexander Donchenko on Board 4, told Fide. "Towards time control I just completely lost track, White should be winning and I was just trying to hang in there - my knights were bad and my King was ...