Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh draw in Sinquefield Cup: Here's what happened
In a thrilling encounter at the Sinquefield Cup, India's top teenage chess prodigies R Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh B locked horns. The match ended in a draw after Praggnanandhaa relinquished his winning position against World Championship contender Gukesh. This was not just any round-robin tournament match but a part of the prestigious Grand Chess Tour. The game held significant importance for both players due to their long-standing rivalry.
A history of rivalry and competition
Grandmaster Peter Svidler, who has been coaching Praggnanandhaa since early 2024, highlighted the intense rivalry between the two Indian prodigies during his commentary. "There's a very strong rivalry between the Indian kids. They've grown up together. (These games) matter a great deal," he said. The Grand Chess Tour also acknowledged this anticipation on Twitter, stating that both players had expressed their excitement about participating in the tournament.
Key moments and missteps in the game
The game took a dramatic turn on move 34 when Gukesh made a strategic error by moving his king to the d7 square, attempting to attack Praggnanandhaa's last remaining rook. This move was not well-received by the engine which suggested that Gukesh should have used his rook to check Praggnanandhaa's king instead. For the next 16 moves, Praggnanandhaa maintained an advantage with white pieces until he too made a mistake on his 50th move by moving his king to e8.
A pattern emerges in Praggnanandhaa vs Gukesh matches
Svidler noted a recurring theme in matches between Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh, especially when the former played white. He recalled similar scenarios from their previous games at the WR Masters and Candidates. Despite his disappointment over the missed opportunity, Svidler praised Praggnanandhaa's performance against Gukesh. "He outplayed Gukesh from an endgame which I assume was going to be a very easy hold for black," he said.
Current standings and future prospects
In other matches, world champion Ding Liren also ended in a draw against Wesley So after two poorly chosen moves. After three rounds of the Sinquefield Cup, Alireza Firoujza and Ian Nepomniachtchi are leading the 10-player standings with two points each. A group of six players including Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh, and Ding are tied in third place with 1.5 points each.
