Gukesh Climbs to Share of Lead at Tata Steel Chess

Indian chess prodigy Dommaraju Gukesh has moved into a tie for first place at the prestigious Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. Gukesh defeated fellow Indian Pentala Harikrishna in round 7 to reach 5 points, joining R Praggnanandhaa and Nodirbek Abdusattorov atop the leaderboard.

Gukesh’s victory came against one of his seconds from the 2024 World Championship match, as Harikrishna employed the French Defense – a staple opening of former world champion Ding Liren. However, Gukesh was well-prepared and seized control of the game by move 15 after an inaccuracy from his opponent.

While Gukesh’s path to victory was not straightforward, he gradually improved his position until Harikrishna resigned on move 45. The win allowed Gukesh to catch up with the leaders, as neither Praggnanandhaa nor Abdusattorov were able to score full points in their games.

Other decisive results in round 7 saw Max Warmerdam defeat Arjun Erigaisi and Vladimir Fedoseev beat Vincent Keymer. Erigaisi’s loss continued his winless streak at the Tata Steel Masters, now stretching to 20 games across two years.

Looking ahead to round 8, a crucial matchup looms between co-leaders Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa. Their game on Sunday evening could prove pivotal in determining the eventual champion of the 2025 Tata Steel Chess Masters.

Standings After Round 7:

• Dommaraju Gukesh: 5 points
• R Praggnanandhaa: 5 points
• Nodirbek Abdusattorov: 5 points
• Vladimir Fedoseev: 4.5 points
• Alexey Sarana: 4 points

With 6 rounds remaining, the tournament remains wide open as the world’s top players vie for victory in one of chess’ most prestigious events.