Tata Steel Chess 2024: Triumphant Praggnanandhaa joins Gukesh, two others in the lead

In the Challengers category, Leon Mendonca moved to the second spot after beating Jaime Santos Latasa. Divya Deshmukh lost to leader Marc Andria Maurizzi and D. Harika surrendered to Hans Moke Niemann.

File image of R. Praggnanandhaa. | Photo Credit: DEBASISH BHADURI/The Hindu

It was time for an unbeaten R. Praggnanandhaa to join the leaders after overpowering the Women’s World champion Ju Wenjun in the ninth round of the Tata Steel Masters chess tournament in Wijk aan Zee, near Amsterdam, on Tuesday.

When the action resumed after a day’s rest, all five decisive games saw the winners emerge from the white side. The surprise losers of the day included Ian Nepomniachtchi and Alireza Firouzja, seeded two and three.

D. Gukesh stayed in the lead following a draw with compatriot Vidit Gujrathi but it was Praggnanandhaa who made it by delivering an impressive tactical punch in 33 moves. Interestingly, Praggnanandhaa’s only victory in the previous eight rounds was against another Chinese, World champion and top seed Ding Liren.

While Anish Giri remained among the leaders after a draw with Ding Liren, Nodirbek Abdusattorov replaced one of the overnight leaders, Alireza Firouzja to regain his spot among the front-runners.

Abdusattorov prevailed over Dutch rival Jorden van Foreest, Wie Yi stunned Nepomniachtchi and Alexander Donchenko made his presence felt by bringing down an inconsistent Firouzja.

In the Challengers category, Leon Mendonca moved to the second spot after beating Jaime Santos Latasa.

Divya Deshmukh lost to leader Marc Andria Maurizzi and D. Harika surrendered to Hans Moke Niemann.

The results (ninth round):

Masters: R. Praggnanandhaa (5.5) bt Ju Wenjun (Chn, 3.5); D. Gukesh (5.5) drew with Vidit Gujrathi (5); Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb, 5.5) bt Jorden van Foreest (Ned, 3); Ding Liren (Chn, 3.5) drew with Anish Giri (Ned, 5.5); Alexander Donchenko (Ger, 3.5) bt Alireza Firouzja (Fra, 5); Wei Yi (Chn, 5) bt Ian Nepomniachtchi (FIDE, 4.5); Parham Maghsoodloo (Iri, 3.5) bt Max Warmerdam (Ned, 4).

Challengers: Leon Mendonca (6) bt Jaime Santos Latasa (Esp, 4.5); D. Harika (3.5) lost to Hans Moke Niemann (USA, 5); Marc Andria Maurizzi (Fra, 6.5) bt Divya Deshmukh (3.5); Daniel Dardha (Bel, 5.5) bt Salem Saleh (UAE, 5); Erwin L’Ami (Ned, 5.5) drew with Mustafa Yilmaz (Tur, 3.5); Stefan Beukema (Bel, 2.5) lost to Anton Korobov (Ukr, 5.5); Eline Roebers (Ned, 2) lost to Liam Vrolijk (Ned, 4.5).