D Gukesh shines in Round 1 of Tata Steel Chess Tournament Masters 2025

The Tata Steel Chess Tournament Masters 2025 kicked off with a bang as the newest World Chess Champion, D Gukesh, made a stunning start by defeating home favourite Anish Giri in a thrilling match. Despite arriving just hours before the tournament opener after a grand felicitation in India, Gukesh showed no signs of rustiness as he outmanoeuvred Anish in a closely-contested game.

Anish, with his witty moves and home advantage, initially gained an early lead with the black pieces. However, a critical blunder on his 15th move allowed Gukesh to turn the tables and secure a decisive victory. The win not only gave Gukesh an opening lead in the Masters but also showcased his true potential as a world champion.

While Gukesh shone in the opening round, it was a tough night for his compatriot Leon Luke Mendonca, who suffered a defeat after an impressive start. The Round 1 encounter between Pentala Harikrishna and Arjun Erigaisi was a marathon battle that ended in Harikrishna’s favor, while R Praggnanandhaa salvaged a draw in a tough match against Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

In the Challengers section, Rameshbabu Vaishali impressed with a quick win over Faustino Oro, while Divya Deshmukh faced defeat against Nodirbek Yakubboev after a long fight.

With the tournament off to an exciting start, the Masters standings after Round 1 see Gukesh leading the pack, followed by Keymer, Harikrishna, and others. In the Challengers section, Nguyen, Yakubboev, Gurel, and Vaishali are among the early leaders.

Stay tuned for more thrilling chess action at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025!