Wijk Aan Zee (Netherlands): Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa came from behind to beat world champion D. Gukesh 2-1 in the tiebreaker to win the Tata Steel Masters chess tournament Sunday (February 2, 2025).
There was huge drama typical of two young players looking to win each and every tiebreak game after they ended the 13th and final round of the tournament tied for the top spot with 8.5 points each.
After the two teenage players left the chess aficionados spellbound over the last several days with their brand of aggressive and innovative play to lead the group, both suffered shocking losses in the final round.
While Gukesh lost to compatriot Arjun Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa too suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Germany’s Vincent Keymer, but despite the losses they still managed 5.5 points each to remain joint leaders.
Praggnanandhaa then faced the Benoni with reversed colours in the first game of the tiebreak and it seemed like he had equalised easily in the middle game. However, Gukesh had other thoughts as he kept trying and won, thanks to a blunder by Praggnanandhaa that cost him a full rook.
In a must-win second game of the tiebreaker, Praggnanandhaa employed the Trompowsky opening, and this time Gukesh could claim a slight advantage with his black pieces.
However, by just keeping his position together, Praggnanandhaa patiently waited and capitalised on an unforced error from his opponent to first knock down a pawn and then his technical abilities were enough to see the normal blitz games through with a 1-1 score.
This took the match into sudden-death, where Praggnanandhaa drew white and once again Gukesh was better with some imaginative play on the queen side that netted him a pawn.
The sudden-death had a time control of two minutes and thirty seconds for white against three for black but that did not deter Praggnanandhaa from trying to defend an inferior endgame.
Just while the position looked completely drawn and another game was on the cards, Gukesh lost complete control in the battle of nerves and first lost a pawn then his last remaining knight.
Praggnanandhaa showed perfect technique to take the full point and his maiden victory at the Masters.
For Gukesh, this was the second year running when he tied for first position and lost the tiebreaker. In the previous edition last year, Gukesh had lost to Chinese Wei Yi.
PTI
