The Sinquefield Cup, the culminating event of the Grand Chess Tour, saw a thrilling second round with Indian Grandmasters D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa securing draws. Gukesh, who is a World Championship challenger, faced off against Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi in a captivating match. The game, which started with a Catalan opening, saw Gukesh holding a slight advantage as white, but Nepomniachtchi, a two-time Candidates’ tournament winner, skillfully defended and counter-attacked to force a draw after 60 moves in a knight and pawns endgame.
Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa remained in contention after drawing against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France. The game, featuring an Italian opening, saw Praggnanandhaa playing as black, but he was unable to capitalize against Vachier-Lagrave’s solid defense. The game ultimately concluded in a rook and pawns endgame with no decisive chances.
The second round witnessed a day of draws, with the exception of the first round’s decisive game where Alireza Firouzja of France defeated Fabiano Caruana of the United States. Firouzja maintained his lead with 1.5 points, leaving eight other players tied for second place on one point each. Caruana, with half a point, sits at the bottom of the standings.
With seven rounds remaining in the 10-player round-robin tournament, the Sinquefield Cup promises further exciting battles among the world’s top chess players. The USD 3,50,000 prize money tournament is captivating chess enthusiasts worldwide, and the Indian Grandmasters’ performances are a source of national pride.
