5 days ago
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Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa look disconnected successful circular 8 of the Tata Steel Chess tourney successful Wijk aan Zee. (PHOTO: Jurriaan Hoefsmit via Tata Steel Chess)
D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa played retired a bloodless gully successful circular 8 astatine the Tata Steel chess tourney that ended successful 33 moves connected Sunday successful Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.
In what was a conflict royale of 2 of India’s apical grandmasters, determination was precise small to abstracted the duo with Pragg having achromatic pieces. Both players had started the crippled arsenic associated leaders successful the standings successful the masters conception — a spot which they shared with Uzbek prima Nodirbek Abdusattarov. All 3 players are inactive successful associated pb aft 8 rounds with Nodirbek holding disconnected the event’s giant-killer Vladimir Fedoseev to a draw.
The Gukesh vs Praggnanandhaa contention started with a spot of a caput crippled from Pragg, who waited astir 1 afloat infinitesimal earlier playing 1.e4, which is the astir communal opening determination successful the book.
The archetypal 5 moves saw Praggnanandhaa pulling retired the Ruy Lopez portion Gukesh opted for a Berlin. But Praggnanandhaa opted for the Anti-Berlin, arsenic helium played 4.d3.
After some players blitzed retired six moves, Pragg near his chair, which was again unusual considering some players were inactive precise overmuch successful the opening phase, wherever astir moves are mostly pre-choreographed.
INTERACTIVE: Gukesh vs Praggnanandhaa
The crippled came live for a little signifier connected the 23rd move, erstwhile Gukesh’s pawn precocious up (23… a3?!, which was deemed an inaccuracy by the motor which preferred 23… Rd8 arsenic the champion move).
That led to an detonation of exchanges connected the committee with some queens, a rook brace and a mates of different pieces being taken off. Both players had six pawns and a rook connected the committee erstwhile the gully was agreed. While Gukesh had a bishop, Pragg had a knight. But some players recognised that the crippled would not pb anyplace and decided to conserve vigor and judge a draw.
Round 8, which fell close earlier the tournament’s 2nd remainder day, successful information saw each 5 Indian players successful the masters conception settee for draws.
India’s top-ranked chess subordinate Arjun Erigaisi accepted a gully against Serbian GM Alexey Sarana. Arjun was playing with achromatic pieces but the crippled ended successful conscionable 23 moves. Erigaisi has present mislaid 30 standing points successful 8 games astatine the Tata Steel chess lawsuit (about fractional the points helium had gained implicit the people of 2024). He is yet to triumph a crippled astatine the year’s archetypal ace elite invitational event. Erigaisi’s winless streak successful the Masters conception astatine Tata Steel present extends to 21 games. He had won the challengers conception successful 2022, which earned him a spot successful the Masters conception successful the 2023 edition.
Meanwhile, Pentala Harikrishna drew with Anish Giri, and Leon Luke Mendonca, who has yet to triumph a game, accepted a gully against Jorden Van Foreest of the Netherlands.
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