Masters Chess Tournament: Gukesh stays in joint lead; Mendonca moves to tied second in Challengers

Vidit Gujarathi and R. Praggnanandhaa also drew their games and moved to 4.5 points - half-a-point behind the leading trio.

Gukesh was involved in a drawn encounter. (File Photo) | Photo Credit: THE HINDU

D. Gukesh ran into Women’s World Champion Ju Wenjun’s resolute defence and drew only his second game in eight rounds of the Tata Steel Masters chess tournament at Wijk aan Zee, near Amsterdam, on Sunday.

The Indian youngster stayed in joint lead at five points with Anish Giri and the man who rejoined the lead, Alireza Firouzja.

While Gukesh and Anish were involved in drawn encounters, Firouzja added to the woes of World champion Ding Liren by inflicting a 43-move defeat. That meant both world champions from China were at 3.5 points before the action resumed on Tuesday after a day of rest.

Vidit Gujarathi and R. Praggnanandhaa also drew their games and moved to 4.5 points - half-a-point behind the leading trio.

In the day’s other decisive game, Ian Nepmniachtchi nailed Uzbek youngster Nodirbek Abdusattorov, one of the overnight leaders.

The Challengers section saw Leon Mendonca and Divya Deshmukh emerge victorious while D. Harika draw her game. The victory took Mendonca to the tied second spot at five points with local favourite Erwin L’Ami and UAE’s Saleh Salem. The trio trails the French leader Marc Andria Maurizzi by half a point.

The Results (eighth round)

Masters: Ju Wenjun (Chn, 3.5) drew with D. Gukesh (5); Vidit Gujrathi (4.5) drew with Alexander Donchenko (Ger, 2.5); Max Warmerdam (Ned, 4) drew with R. Praggnanandhaa (4.5); Anish Giri (Ned, 5) drew with Wen Yi (Chn, 4); Alireza Firouzja (Fra, 5) bt Ding Liren (Chn, 3.5); Ian Nepomniachtchi (FIDE, 4.5) bt Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb, 4.5); Jorden van Foreest (Ned, 3) drew with Parham Maghsoodloo (Iri, 2.5).

Challengers: Anton Korobov (Ukr, 4.5) lost to Leon Mendonca (5); Divya Deshmukh (3.5) bt Eline Roebers (Ned, 2); Jaime Santos Latasa (Esp,4.5) drew with D. Harika (3.5); Saleh Salem (UAE, 5) lost to Marc Andria Maurizzi (Fra, 5.5); Hans Moke Niemann (USA, 4) drew with Erwin L’Ami (Ned, 5); Mustafa Yilmaz (Tur, 3) lost to Daniel Dardha (Bel, 4.5); Liam Vrolijk (Ned, 3.5) drew with Stefan Beukema (Bel, 2.5).