Wijk Aan Zee (Netherlands), Feb 2 (PTI):
In an electrifying finale at the Tata Steel Masters chess tournament on Sunday, Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa rallied from a precarious position to defeat world champion D. Gukesh 2-1 in the tie-break, securing his first-ever title at this prestigious event.
The final showdown was a true nail-biter, reflecting the fiercely competitive spirit of two young stars determined to fight for every advantage on the board. After a tightly contested main event, both players headed into a series of tie-break games.
Dramatic Tie-Break Opener
In the first game of the tie-break, Praggnanandhaa faced a reversed-colours Benoni Defense and appeared to hold a balanced position in the middle game. However, Gukesh found resourceful moves, and a sudden blunder by Praggnanandhaa—dropping a full rook—handed Gukesh the initial win.Must-Win Second Game
Facing elimination, Praggnanandhaa switched to the Trompowsky Opening in the second tie-break game. Gukesh briefly held the upper hand with the black pieces, but a single error allowed Praggnanandhaa to seize a critical pawn. Demonstrating expert endgame technique, he converted this advantage and levelled the tie-break score at 1-1.Sudden-Death Showdown
The contest then moved into a sudden-death playoff, with Praggnanandhaa playing White. Gukesh displayed imaginative play on the queenside and even won a pawn, putting Praggnanandhaa under significant pressure. Despite the shortened time control—two minutes and thirty seconds for White against three for Black—Praggnanandhaa tenaciously defended an inferior endgame.Just when the position seemed destined for another playoff game, Gukesh faltered in the tense struggle. He first lost a pawn, then his last knight, handing Praggnanandhaa a winning advantage. With calm precision, Praggnanandhaa secured the full point and lifted the coveted Tata Steel Masters trophy.
Heartbreak for Gukesh—Again
For Gukesh, this was a repeat of last year’s heartbreak, where he tied for first place only to lose the tie-break to Chinese Grandmaster Wei Yi. Nonetheless, his runner-up finish further cements his status as one of the most formidable young talents in chess.
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