Praggnanandhaa Catches Gukesh in Tata Steel Chess Round 12

R Praggnanandhaa has joined D Gukesh at the top of the standings after the 12th round of the Tata Steel Chess Masters tournament in Wijk aan Zee. Praggnanandhaa’s victory over Alexey Sarana, coupled with Gukesh’s draw against Jorden van Foreest, created a tie for first place with just one round remaining.

Key results from round 12:

• Praggnanandhaa defeated Sarana
• Gukesh drew with van Foreest
• Arjun Erigaisi beat Nodirbek Abdusattorov
• Leon Mendonca drew with Fabiano Caruana
• Pentala Harikrishna drew with Vincent Keymer

Praggnanandhaa’s Crucial Victory

Praggnanandhaa secured his third consecutive win in what he considered a must-win game. He employed an unusual opening strategy and ultimately won with a spectacular queen sacrifice. This victory propelled him to 8.5 points, tying Gukesh for the lead and moving him up to world number seven in the live ratings.

Gukesh’s Dramatic Draw

Gukesh’s match against van Foreest was filled with twists and turns. Despite being at a disadvantage for most of the game, Gukesh managed to escape with a draw after a series of late game errors by both players. The world champion expressed relief at salvaging the draw and anticipation for an exciting finish to the tournament.

Arjun Erigaisi’s Breakthrough

Arjun Erigaisi finally secured his first win at the Tata Steel Chess Masters, defeating Nodirbek Abdusattorov in impressive fashion. Erigaisi capitalized on a mid-game blunder by Abdusattorov and sealed the victory with a bishop sacrifice. This result significantly impacted Abdusattorov’s title hopes.

Final Round Matchups

The tournament concludes with some crucial pairings:

• Gukesh faces the resurgent Arjun Erigaisi
• Praggnanandhaa takes on Vincent Keymer
• Abdusattorov needs a win against Harikrishna and help from others to have any chance at the title

Standings After Round 12

1. Dommaraju Gukesh: 8.5
2. R Praggnanandhaa: 8.5
3. Nodirbek Abdusattorov: 7.5
4. Vladimir Fedoseev: 7
5. Wei Yi: 6.5
6. Anish Giri: 6.5
7. Fabiano Caruana: 6
8. Pentala Harikrishna: 6
9. Vincent Keymer: 5
10. Jordan van Foreest: 5
11. Alexey Sarana: 5
12. Arjun Erigaisi: 4.5
13. Leon Luke Mendonca: 4.5
14. Max Warmerdam: 3.5