Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa made an extraordinary comeback in the title clash to defeat reigning World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh 2-1 in the tiebreaker, clinching the Tata Steel Masters chess tournament title on Sunday, February 2.
After a dramatic final round filled with surprises, the two young players found themselves tied at 8.5 points each following the 13th and final round, setting up a high-stakes tiebreaker.
Both Indian players, who had showcased aggressive and innovative styles throughout the tournament, suffered unexpected defeats in the final round. Gukesh, the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, lost to compatriot Arjun Erigaisi, who avenged his earlier defeat and overcame Gukesh in the FIDE rankings, becoming the highest-ranked Indian. Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa was defeated by Germany’s Vincent Keymer. Despite these setbacks, both still managed to secure 5.5 points, remaining joint leaders.
The tiebreaker began with Praggnanandhaa facing the Benoni defense with reversed colors in the first game. He appeared to have equalized comfortably in the middle game. However, Gukesh, showing resilience, pressed forward and eventually won the game after Praggnanandhaa blundered, losing a full rook.
In the crucial second game of the tiebreaker, Praggnanandhaa employed the Trompowsky opening. Though Gukesh, playing black, gained a slight advantage, Praggnanandhaa displayed remarkable patience, maintaining his position while waiting for his opponent to make a mistake. He capitalized on an unforced error from Gukesh, winning a pawn, and his technical skill helped him draw the game, leveling the score at 1-1 and sending the match into sudden death.
The sudden-death match had a time control of 2 minutes and 30 seconds for White and 3 minutes for Black. Despite being in a worse endgame position, Praggnanandhaa managed to hold his ground. Just when it seemed the game would end in a draw, Gukesh lost his composure in a nerve-wracking finale. He first lost a pawn and then his last remaining knight. Praggnanandhaa seized the opportunity, playing with perfect technique to claim victory and secure his maiden Tata Steel Masters title.
For Gukesh, this marked the second consecutive year he finished tied for first but lost in the tiebreaker. In the previous edition, he had been defeated by China’s Wei Yi.
