World Champion D Gukesh suffered another setback at the Tata Steel Masters, losing to Germany’s Matthias Bluebaum in Round Nine, while Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan maintained his lead with six points.
Round Nine Highlights
- Gukesh vs Bluebaum: Playing with white, Gukesh opted for the Bishop’s opening but faltered as his light-squared bishop became trapped. Bluebaum seized the initiative, winning a rook for a minor piece. Gukesh resigned on move 37.
- Arjun Erigaisi vs Hans Niemann: Arjun’s English opening fizzled into a quick draw in just 22 moves. Both players settled for repetition after Niemann neutralised Arjun’s attempts to complicate.
- Praggnanandhaa vs Aravindh Chithambaram: Praggnanandhaa secured his first win of the tournament, outplaying Aravindh in a rook-and-pawn endgame that should have been drawable.
- Sindarov vs Abdusattorov: The Uzbek derby ended in a draw, keeping Abdusattorov in sole lead with six points. Sindarov joined Jorden van Foreest and Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus in second place with 5.5 points.
- Van Foreest vs Keymer: The Dutchman produced the day’s most dazzling game, sacrificing a piece to launch a ferocious attack against Vincent Keymer’s king. The assault ended in just 26 moves.
- Erdogmus vs Nguyen: Fourteen-year-old Erdogmus continued his remarkable run, defeating Thai Dai Van Nguyen to strengthen his claim as one of the strongest teenage talents in chess history.
Current Standings
- Leader: Nodirbek Abdusattorov – 6 points
- Second: Sindarov, Van Foreest, Erdogmus – 5.5 points
- Chasing Pack: Niemann – 5 points; Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, Arjun – 4 points each
With four rounds remaining, Abdusattorov remains in command, while India’s top trio – Gukesh, Arjun, and Praggnanandhaa – continue to struggle for consistency.
