Tata Steel Chess: Long, crazy day, says Praggnanandhaa after beating Gukesh

Wijk Aan Zee (The Netherlands), Feb 3 (PTI) – Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa endured an intense eight-hour battle to secure his maiden Tata Steel Chess Tournament title, edging out reigning World Champion D Gukesh in a dramatic finale.

Reflecting on the grueling day, Praggnanandhaa said, "It was very long, close to eight hours. The first game itself lasted around 6.5 hours, and then we had this blitz—it was a crazy day."

A Special Victory in a Prestigious Tournament​

The Indian prodigy expressed his deep appreciation for the tournament, acknowledging its significance in the chess world. "This is a very special event, and I have grown up watching games from this tournament. Last year, things didn’t go my way, so I was really motivated this time," he said.

Praggnanandhaa’s aggressive approach was evident throughout the competition. "I was quite ambitious in all my games, always trying to fight. That’s why we saw many decisive games," he noted. His impressive run saw him winning six games, drawing five, and losing two.

Lessons from Defeat and Future Plans​

Looking ahead, the young champion revealed that he will next compete at the Prague Masters. He also shared insights into his preparations, saying, "I knew what went wrong in the last six months and worked on those areas. I made some changes for this tournament, and it worked."

Discussing his tie-break games against Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa admitted that his loss in the first game was avoidable. "I should have just taken the draw," he reflected. However, he bounced back, winning the second game after Gukesh, despite holding a strong position, was eventually outplayed.

In the decider, Praggnanandhaa found himself on the defensive with the white pieces. But a combination of strategic moves and Gukesh’s overambition turned the tide in his favor.

A Roller-Coaster Journey to Victory​

Praggnanandhaa also acknowledged his mistakes in a classical game against Germany’s Vincent Keymer, where he let go of a promising position. "I liked my middle-game position, but then I started to do some strange things. I saw that Gukesh had lost, but all I could do was sit, wait, and suffer in that position. It was disappointing," he admitted.

Despite this setback, the Chennai-based Grandmaster remained focused. Speaking on how he regrouped for the tiebreaker, he said, "I was upset, but I knew I had an opportunity to fight back. I stayed at the venue, closed my eyes, and tried to rest."

Summing up his triumph, Praggnanandhaa remarked, "This was a one-time opportunity. I could have let frustration take over and lost, but I kept going. I wasn’t happy with my final game against Keymer, but ultimately, winning the event is what matters."

Both Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh acknowledged that they had challenging games, but the experience of playing at such a high level was invaluable. "We both got outplayed today, but we’re happy we had this opportunity,"Praggnanandhaa concluded.

With this victory, Praggnanandhaa cements his place among the world's elite, proving that his resilience and tactical brilliance are forces to be reckoned with in global chess.