India’s R Praggnanandhaa and USA’s Fabiano Caruana remain locked in a gripping battle for the Sinquefield Cup 2025 title after both players drew their eighth-round matches.
With just one round remaining, the tournament teeters on the edge of a potential playoff, adding to the suspense of this elite chess event.
Praggnanandhaa, who faced American GM Wesley So with white pieces, played a solid game that ended in a draw. Caruana, meanwhile, split points with France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, keeping the leaderboard unchanged at the top.
“I’ve done well in playoffs this year,” said Praggnanandhaa, who has already clinched three titles via tiebreaks in 2025. “But you never know what’s going to happen.”
The final round promises high drama: Praggnanandhaa will take on Levon Aronian with black pieces, while Caruana faces India’s D Gukesh with white. Gukesh, the reigning world champion, had a rollercoaster draw against Aronian in the eighth round, with both players missing winning chances.
In the only decisive result of the round, Uzbek prodigy Nodirbek Abdusattorov secured his first win of the tournament by defeating Alireza Firouzja. “This is the most difficult tournament in my career,” Abdusattorov admitted, “but I have to go through that and come back stronger.”
