In a gripping 10th round of the Tata Steel Masters in Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands, World Champion D Gukesh continued his unbeaten streak with a crucial victory over Dutch Grandmaster Max Warmerdam. The win propelled him to 7.5 points, securing his position as the tournament leader, with only a half-point advantage over closest competitor Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
Gukesh: A Commanding Performance
Playing with Black, Gukesh faced an unusual opening from Warmerdam, who opted for 2.g3. Despite the surprise element, the Indian prodigy remained composed and capitalized on a critical blunder from his opponent. In a closed Sicilian setup, Gukesh strategically won a couple of pawns before forcing resignation in just 34 moves. This win not only kept him in the lead but also inched him closer to the elite 2800-rating barrier.
Reflecting on the game, Gukesh acknowledged the challenge but expressed his joy in being back to competitive chess. “I think that at this level you don’t get here unless you love what you’re doing, and also it’s pleasant for me to play this tournament after a month at home, when it was also quite hectic. It’s nice to come here and just be able to focus on what I do the best,” he said, as per ESPN
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Abdusattorov and Praggnanandhaa Stay in the Hunt
With the tournament nearing its conclusion, the battle at the top remains fierce. Nodirbek Abdusattorov, just half a point behind Gukesh, secured a vital win against Alexey Sarana. However, he admitted it wasn’t his best performance, calling it his worst game of the tournament despite the victory.
Meanwhile, Indian GM R Praggnanandhaa bounced back strongly after his previous loss to Anish Giri by defeating Vladimir Fedoseev. Praggnanandhaa masterfully dismantled Fedoseev’s Tarrasch Defense, sacrificing all his pawns to queen a new piece and seal victory in 48 moves. With this result, he moved to 6.5 points, securing sole third place in the standings.
Other Indian players also made their presence felt in the tournament. Pentala Harikrishna held top seed Fabiano Caruana to a draw in a challenging rook endgame, while Arjun Erigaisi and Leon Mendonca also settled for draws against Vincent Keymer and Anish Giri, respectively.
Mixed Fortunes in the Challengers Section
In the Tata Steel Challengers tournament, India’s R Vaishali suffered a grueling six-hour loss against Czech GM Nguyen Thai Van, who leads the event with 7.5 points. Meanwhile, Divya Deshmukh endured another setback, losing to Germany’s Frederik Svane. Vaishali remains in ninth place with five points, while Divya sits in 13th position with just two points.
What Lies Ahead for Gukesh
With only a few rounds remaining, the tournament is poised for an intense finish. Gukesh will need to maintain his composure as he faces stiff competition from Abdusattorov and Praggnanandhaa in the final stretch. While Gukesh eyes his first Tata Steel Masters title, his challengers remain determined to dethrone him before the tournament concludes.
As the chess world watches with bated breath, the battle for the crown at Tata Steel Chess promises high-stakes drama in the coming rounds.
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