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Praggnanandhaa Defeats Gukesh in Sudden Death, Clinches Maiden Tata Steel Masters Title

Pragg vs Guki

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa triumphed at the Tata Steel Masters 2025, defeating reigning world champion D Gukesh in a dramatic tiebreaker to secure his maiden title. The tournament, held in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, saw an intense battle between two of India’s brightest young chess talents.

Pragg Vs Gukesh: A Tense Tiebreaker

Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh finished the 13-round classical event tied at 8.5 points each. Despite being in a winning position after 13 rounds, Pragg lost his final game against Germany’s Vincent Keymer. Meanwhile, Gukesh also faltered against compatriot Arjun Erigaisi, leading to a tiebreaker showdown.

In the first game of the tiebreaker, Praggnanandhaa blundered against Gukesh’s reversed Benoni setup and lost. However, he bounced back in the second game, employing the Trompowsky opening and capitalizing on a mistake by Gukesh to level the score at 1-1.

The match proceeded to sudden death, where Gukesh, playing with an extra 30 seconds on the clock, initially gained the upper hand with strong play on the queenside. However, Praggnanandhaa’s technical precision and unwavering focus turned the tide. Under pressure, Gukesh blundered, losing a pawn and his last knight, ultimately conceding defeat.

Also Read: Arjun Erigaisi Tata Steel 2025 Struggles: A Rough Start to 2025

Pragg’s Historic Victory

With this win, Praggnanandhaa claimed his first Tata Steel Masters title. It was a disappointing finish for Gukesh, who had to settle for second place for the second consecutive year, having lost in a similar tiebreak to China’s Wei Yi in 2024.

After his victory, Praggnanandhaa acknowledged Arjun Erigaisi’s unexpected win over Gukesh in the final round, which helped push the tournament into a tiebreak. He humorously remarked: “Should probably buy something for Arjun, yeah? I didn’t really expect (Arjun to beat Gukesh). Because at some point, I felt that Gukesh was actually better. When I saw the result (of Gukesh vs Arjun), I had already misplayed and I was in such a difficult position that I could not really do much than sit and defend. I didn’t think practically I had any chance in my own position,” according to Times of India.

Also Read: Indian Chess Achievements 2024 – Celebrated by AICF