Prague, March 4: Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, who has achieved his career-high world ranking of No. 8, is set to face American GM Sam Shankland in the sixth round of the Prague Masters after a scheduled rest day on Tuesday.
Currently tied at the top of the leaderboard with compatriot and friend Aravindh Chithambaram, Praggnanandhaa attempted to push for a win against his fellow Indian but had to settle for a draw. Both players now sit with 3.5 points out of a possible five, leading the tournament.
Aravindh’s Surprising Performance
Aravindh Chithambaram, who has impressed with his performances so far, has emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest surprises. His victory over top seed Wei Yi of China was a highlight, and he himself admitted to being taken aback by his form."I don't know what's happening to me here," Aravindh remarked after his second win of the event.
His next challenge will be against Vietnam’s Quang Leim Le, an experienced and solid competitor.
Wei Yi Mounts a Comeback
Wei Yi, one of the most dangerous contenders in the tournament, started poorly with two losses in his first three rounds but has since bounced back with two consecutive wins. He now sits in a pack of four players with 2.5 points each, posing a significant threat as the tournament progresses.Meanwhile, Anish Giri and Quang Leim have drawn all five of their games so far, while German GM Vincent Keymer has had mixed results with two losses, one draw, and two wins.
Praggnanandhaa’s Path Ahead
Praggnanandhaa has delivered two impressive victories against Keymer and Nguyen Thai Dai Van but has struggled to gain a strong advantage with white pieces. However, his superior calculation skills continue to be his strongest asset.His upcoming battle against Shankland will be a critical one, as the American GM is known for his determined play. Following this, Praggnanandhaa will have the white pieces against Quang Leim and Wei Yi before facing the super-solid Anish Giri in the final round.
Aravindh’s Route to the Finish
For Aravindh, the path ahead seems slightly less challenging as he faces opponents from the lower half of the leaderboard. After his match against Giri in Round 7, he will play against Czech GM David Navara before concluding his tournament against Turkey’s Gurel Ediz.Divya Deshmukh in Challengers Section
In the Challengers section, India’s Divya Deshmukh has struggled to find form, securing only 1.5 points so far. With four rounds remaining, she will be aiming to recover some rating points and regain confidence after a tough outing at the Tata Steel tournament earlier this year.Upcoming Round 6 Pairings
Prague Masters:- Sam Shankland (USA, 2) vs R Praggnanandhaa (IND, 3.5)
- Aravindh Chithambaram (IND, 3.5) vs Quang Leim Le (VIE, 2.5)
- Wei Yi (CHN, 2.5) vs Gurel Ediz (TUR, 2)
- Nguyen Thai Dai Van (CZE, 2) vs David Navara (CZE, 2)
- Vincent Keymer (GER, 2.5) vs Anish Giri (NED, 2.5)
- Finel Vaclav (CZE, 1.5) vs Divya Deshmukh (IND, 1.5)
- Ivan Salgado Lopez (ESP, 3) vs Richard Stalmach (CZE, 2)
- Stamatis Kourkoulous-Arditis (GRE, 2) vs Nodirbek Yakubboev (UZB, 4)
- Jonas Buhl Bzerre (DEN, 3.5) vs Marc`andria Maurizzi (FRA, 3)
- Nemec Jychym (CZE, 2) vs Ma Qun (CHN, 2.5)