D Gukesh collects third consecutive attract Tata Metal Chess; R Praggnanandhaa strikes into sole lead

Reigning world chess champion Gukesh Dommaraju collected a 3rd consecutive draw within the ongoing Tata Metal Chess match in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands on Tuesday. Nonetheless, whereas he and world No 2 Fabiano Caruana had shook arms after simply 24 strikes within the earlier spherical, his battle with Russian-Serbian Grandmaster Alexey Sarana lasted 70 strikes earlier than the 2 gamers collected half a degree every.

Gukesh’s compatriot R Praggnanandhaa, in the meantime, surged to the only lead after amassing a 3rd consecutive victory whereas world No 4 Arjun Erigaisi continued to battle as he suffered a 3rd defeat in 4 video games.

Gukesh had opted for a Queen’s Gambit Declined after his opponent went with a Queen’s Pawn Opening, with the 2 gamers advancing their knights pretty early and the 18-year-old Indian GM castling as early because the fifth transfer. The world No 5 would then initially a queen alternate by the twelfth transfer.

The tempo of the sport slowed down thereafter; nonetheless, Sarana had been holding a bonus over Gukesh till committing a blunder within the sixtieth transfer (f6). The sport finally ended with each gamers deciding to shake arms after reviving their queens.

Praggnanandhaa, in the meantime, continued his stellar run within the match by defeating fellow Indian GM Leon Luke Mendonca in 46 strikes after choosing a Ruy Lopez Opening. Mendonca, consequently, lay on the backside of the standings together with Arjun, who resigned in 39 strikes in opposition to Russian-Slovenian GM Vladimir Fedoseev after committing a blunder on the fifteenth transfer (Ne2).

𝗥𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝟰 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀
Erigaisi was utterly profitable till he abruptly made an enormous mistake! He misplaced a bit with none counterplay, and Fedoseev wins!

Praggnanandhaa has been utterly profitable in opposition to Mendonca for some time now, however Mendonca is combating laborious… pic.twitter.com/aClfqcM4Xj

— Tata Metal Chess Event (@tatasteelchess) January 21, 2025

Pentala Harikrishna, in the meantime, beat Dutch GM Max Warmerdam in simply 23 strikes after his opponent dedicated back-to-back blunders, and he at present sits on the seventh spot with 2.50 factors.

Tata Metal Chess 2025 Masters standings after 4 rounds:

1. R Praggnanandhaa (3.5/4)

2. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (3/4)

3. D Gukesh (2.5/4)

4. Fabiano Caruana (2.5/4)

5. Vladimir Fedoseev (2.5/4)

6. Vincent Keymer (2.5/4)

7. Pentala Harikrishna (2.5/4)

8. Wei Yi (2/4)

9. Alexey Sarana (2/4)

10. Jorden van Foreest (1.5/4)

11. Anish Giri (1.5/4)

12. Max Warmerdam (1/4)

13. Leon Luke Mendonca (0.5/4)

14. Arjun Erigaisi (0.5/4)