Gukesh’s unbelievable save: World champion defends losing position with black for 6 hours vs arch-rival Nodirbek Abdusattorov

At 1 signifier during the game, erstwhile satellite champion Magnus Carlsen joined the commentary for Chess24 wherever helium slammed Gukesh’s strategy. “Gukesh’s strategy has been a spectacular failure,” Carlsen said.

The satellite nary 1 besides praised Abdusattorov for his ruthlessness. “As soon arsenic helium gets his chance, he’s ruthless. He calculates perfectly, helium feels the momentum, and mentally he’s close there. It’s been very, precise impressive!” Carlsen said.

This is the 2nd clip successful the tourney that Gukesh has managed to grind retired a gully aft being successful a worse position. Gukesh was besides losing to location favourite Anish Giri successful the archetypal crippled of the Tata Steel chess tournament. But helium resisted earlier turning the tables and defeating the Dutch GM. Gukesh had besides dragged retired a agelong conflict against Vincent Keymer, who had helped him go satellite champion past period arsenic a second.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov thinks astir his adjacent determination successful the circular 6 crippled against Gukesh.
(PHOTO: Lennart Ootes via Tata Steel chess tournament)

INTERACTIVE: How Gukesh held Nodirbek Abdusattorov to a gully aft 6 hours

Abdusattorov held an vantage successful the crippled against Gukesh adjacent earlier the 20th move. Gukesh’s queen, the astir almighty portion connected the board, had mostly been reduced to moving astir to prevention itself.

By determination 26, Abdusattorov had a sizeable vantage connected the eval bar. By determination 42, the Uzbek GM was a pawn up. Gukesh made a mistake connected determination 45 moving his king, erstwhile the motor showed helium should person shifted his rook (Gukesh played 45…Kf8? alternatively of 45…Rb3). By determination 46, Abdusattorov had 2 much pawns connected the board. Four moves later, Gukesh had 3 little pawns connected the board, but 1 further knight. By determination 52, the penning seemed to beryllium connected the partition for Gukesh.

But the Indian grandmaster was not successful the temper to question the achromatic emblem of surrender. And was handed a reprieve connected determination 59 — Abdusattorov played 59. Re8??, which the motor said was a blunder.

The crippled yet ended aft 66 moves with a three-fold repetition connected the board.

After the sixth round, Abdusattorov is associated person (with Praggnanandhaa) successful the masters conception astatine the Tata Steel chess tourney with 4.5 points. Both players person 3 wins and 3 draws astatine Wijk aan Zee.

Gukesh, meanwhile, is conscionable fractional a constituent down the leaders with 4 draws and 2 wins. This means helium is inactive unbeaten aft becoming the youngest satellite champion successful past of the sport.