D GUKESH plays the draw against R PRAGGNANANDHAA; The search for Arjun Erigaissi for a continuous victory – Firstpost

The All-Indian competition between the world chess champion of Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa in the second round of the Tata 2025 steel failure tournament ended on Sunday with a draw in Wijk Aan Zee, in the Netherlands. The result meant that Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa continued to jointly share the advance with Nordibek Abdusattarov, all three having 5.5 points out of eight possible. The three players won three games and pulled the other five.

Gukesh, playing with black parts, opted for an opening of the Berlin defense in Ruy Lopez de Praggnanandhaa. In the sixth decision, Praggnanandhaa used the move of Château and Gukesh responded to this by moving his queen to E7. And in the first stages of the middle game, Gukesh sacrificed a pawn to open a counter-game. In the 23rd blow, however, Gukesh moved his pawn to A3, which was questionable according to the engine which suggested that RD8 was a better decision.

Shortly after, the Queens and a pair of players were exchanged and although the two players fought to break the dead end, a draw seemed inevitable and they accepted the result after 33 movements. When the two players accepted a draw, they both had six pawns and a tower on board. Gukesh also had a bishop when his praggnanandhaa had a knight.

Regarding the other games, Pentala Harikrishna played a draw against the favorite at home Anish Giri, while research by Arjun Erigais for a victory continued following a draw against Alexey Sarana of Serbia . Leon Luke Mendonca also played a draw, against Jorden Van Forest of the Netherlands.

Among the Indians in the Challengers section, R Vashali attracted Arthur Pijpers while Divya Deshmukh lost to Kazybek Nogerbek of Kazakhstan.

Tata Steel Chess 2025 after eight laps:

Masters

1. D Gukesh (5.5 / 8)
2. Nodirbek Abdusattarov (5.5 / 8)
3. R ​​Praggnanandhaa (5.5 / 8)
4. Vladimir Fedoseev (5/8)
5. Alexey Sarana (4.5 / 8)
6. Wei yi (4.5 / 8)
7. Fabiano Caruana (4.5 / 8)
8. P Harikrishna (4/8)
9. Anish Giri (3.5 / 8)
10. Jorden Van Foreest (3/8)
11. Max Warmerdam (3/8)
12. Vincent Keymer (3/8)
13. Leon Luke Medonca (2.5 / 8)
14. Arjun Erigaisi (2/8)

Challenge

1. Thai Dai Van Nguyen (6/8)
2. Erwin the friend (5.5 / 8)
3. Benjamin Bok (5/8)
4. Aydin Suleymanli (5/8)
5. Kazybek Nogerbek (5/8)
6. Vaishali Rameshbabu (4.5 / 8)
7. Frederik Svane (4.5 / 8)
8. Miaoyi lu (4.5 / 8)
9. Ediz Gurel (4/8)
10. Nodirbek yakubboev (4/8)
11. Arthur Pijpers (3/8)
12. Faustino Oro (2.5 / 8)
13. Divya Deshmukh (1.5 / 8)
14. Irina Bulmaga (1/8)