In the second round of the Superbet Chess Classic, a prestigious event on the Grand Chess Tour, Indian chess prodigy D Gukesh fought to a hard-fought draw against Russian grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi. Meanwhile, fellow Indian R Praggnanandhaa also shared points with French star Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, continuing his impressive run in the tournament. The day was marked by a surprising blunder from top seed Fabiano Caruana, who missed an opportunity for a second consecutive win against his American compatriot Wesley So. Caruana had a clear advantage in the middle game but failed to capitalize on his opportunities, ultimately drawing the game after a tense endgame. In another exciting encounter, French grandmaster Alireza Firouzja launched his campaign with a decisive victory against Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan. Firouzja, determined to make amends for his first-round loss to Caruana, dominated the game and secured the win in 38 moves. The other game of the day, between Anish Giri of the Netherlands and Deac Bogdan-Daniel of Romania, ended in a draw, a result that did not favor either player. With seven rounds still to play in the 10-player double round-robin tournament, Gukesh and Caruana remain at the top of the standings with 1.5 points each. They are closely followed by Alireza, Praggnanandhaa, Giri, Wesley, Vachier-Lagrave, and Nepomniachtchi, all with one point each. Deac Bogdan-Daniel and Abdusattorov have a half point each. Gukesh’s draw against Nepomniachtchi came after a complex and tense battle. Nepomniachtchi, known for his aggressive style, controlled the center of the board and had a clear advantage in the middle game. However, Gukesh’s accurate play and solid endgame technique allowed him to hold the game to a draw. Praggnanandhaa’s game against Vachier-Lagrave was another tense affair. The Indian player had a slight edge in the opening, but Vachier-Lagrave was able to equalize the position and hold the draw. The Superbet Chess Classic, with its USD 350,000 prize money, is attracting the attention of chess fans worldwide. With several exciting encounters still to come, the tournament promises thrilling chess action.
Gukesh Holds Nepomniachtchi, Praggnanandhaa Draws as Caruana Misses Win in Superbet Chess Classic
