Indian Grandmasters Shine at Prague Masters
In an exhilarating round four of the Prague Masters, Indian grandmasters R Praggnanandhaa and Aravindh Chithambaram have taken the lead with three points each. Praggnanandhaa secured his second consecutive victory by defeating Germany’s Vincent Keymer, while Aravindh held American Sam Shankland to a draw, setting the stage for a thrilling face-off between the two Indian leaders in the upcoming round.
Round Four Highlights
Praggnanandhaa’s impressive performance against Keymer is noteworthy, especially considering their previous encounter at the Tata Steel Masters, where Keymer emerged victorious. This time, Praggnanandhaa turned the tables despite facing a challenging French defense. He executed a queen exchange that allowed him to gain the upper hand in the middlegame, leading to a well-deserved victory in just 44 moves.
Aravindh, on the other hand, faced Shankland’s Sicilian defense, which quickly equalized the position. Despite Shankland holding a minor advantage at one point, the endgame proved largely drawn, with no opportunities for either player to seize victory.
The two Indian players now lead the tournament, with Shankland, Keymer, Anish Giri, and Quang Leim Le trailing by one point. As the competition heats up with five rounds remaining, all eyes will be on the impending clash between Praggnanandhaa and Aravindh, where Praggnanandhaa will have the advantage of the white pieces.
Challengers’ Category
In the challengers’ category, India’s Divya Deshmukh drew against Chinese player Ma Qun, accumulating 1.5 points. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Yakubboev and Denmark’s Jonas Buhl Bjerre are jointly leading this section with three points each.
Stay tuned for more updates and insights from the Prague Masters, and don’t forget to check out Looffers.com for the latest in chess news, tips, and promotions!
