D Gukesh’s First Draw as World Champion in Tata Steel Chess 2025; Praggnanandhaa Claims First Victory

Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025: Round 2 Highlights

NEW DELHI: The second round of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025 witnessed an exciting day of matches, with several draws and a standout victory. D Gukesh, playing with the black pieces, faced Vladimir Fedoseev and managed to secure his first draw since becoming the world chess champion. After a cautious start, Gukesh exchanged queens early, leading to a balanced endgame that culminated in a stalemate.

The day was marked by a series of draws, including India’s No. 1, Arjun Erigaisi, who faced Dutch No. 1 Anish Giri. Both players aimed for recovery after tough losses in their opening matches but ultimately settled for a draw, allowing them to regroup for the upcoming rounds.

Praggnanandhaa Shines with First Win

In a noteworthy performance, R Praggnanandhaa secured the first win of the tournament by defeating Pentala Harikrishna. With an impressive display of strategy, Praggnanandhaa capitalized on his opponent’s mistakes, leading to a decisive victory and placing him at the top of the Challengers standings.

Meanwhile, World No. 2 Fabiano Caruana also claimed his first win of the tournament against Jorden Van Foreest, while defending Masters champion Yi Wei settled for a draw against Alexey Sarana. The day’s longest game between Vincent Keymer and Max Warmerdam ended in yet another draw.

Challengers Section Update

In the Challengers section, Divya Deshmukh faced early pressure but managed to draw against Czech grandmaster Thai Dai Van. Rameshbabu Vaishali, who started strongly in the opening round, drew against 14-year-old Miaoyi Lu of China.

As the tournament progresses, the excitement continues to build. Stay updated with the latest chess news and analysis at Looffers.com.