Tata Steel Masters: Gukesh holds Praggnanandhaa

World Champion D Gukesh drew his fourth game on the trot, signing peace with compatriot and defending champion R Praggnanandhaa while Arjun Erigaisi could not break the defence of Anish Giri and drew for the third day running in the Tata Steel Masters, here.

Praggnanandhaa was denied a victory for the fourth day running by Gukesh who played an unusual variation to counter the French defence.

Praggnanandhaa was able to dent white’s pawn structure on the queen side but that did not prove to be enough in the end as the players reached a drawn queen and pawns endgame.

With just two draws and two significant losses in the first could of rounds, Praggnanandhaa is still the bottom of the tables with Giri.

On a day when Aravindh Chithamabaram suffered his first defeat at the hands of American Hans Moke Niemann, Nodirbek Abdusattorov staked his claims to beat Thai Dai Van Nguyen of Czech Republic.

Abdusattorov and Niemann emerged as joint leaders on three points out of a possible four while Arjun Erigaisi is right behind them with Uzbek Javokhir Sindarov and Dutchman Jorden van Foreest.

Sindarov was the other winner of the day defeating Matthias BLuebaum of Germany who will be part of the Candidates’ tournament later this year.

Aravindh Chithamabaran apparently ran in to a hurricane called Niemann. The two had played just once more in the Classical format in 2022 and then also Niemann had won. The middle game was intense as Aravindh faced a dangerous queen sacrifice and it was a very skillful display by the American from this moment.

The momentum never arrived in the clash between Giri and Arjun. While the former is known for his solid-play Arjun’s contrasting style did not really make any great difference in the fourth round as the players ended in a rook and pawns endgame where white did not have much to look forward to.

Results round 4 (Indians unless specified): Anish Giri (Ned, 1) drew with Arjun Erigaisi (2.5) D Gukesh (2) drew with R Praggnanandhaa (1); Vladimir Fedoseev (Slo, 2) drew with Jorden van Foreest (Ned, 2.5); Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb, 3) beat Thai Dai Van Nguyen (Cze 1.5); Aravindh Chithambaram (1.5) lost to Hans Moke Niemann (Usa, 3); Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (Tur, 2) drew with Vincent Keymer (Ger, 1.5); Matthias Bluebaum (Ger, 2) lost to Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb, 2.5).