PTI Chess Update: Gukesh and Caruana Lead After Round 2 of Superbet Classic Chess

In an intense day of chess at the Superbet Classic Chess tournament, top seed Fabiano Caruana faced a rare blunder that cost him a victory over compatriot Wesley So. Meanwhile, Frenchman Alireza Firouzja made a strong comeback with a win over Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan.

World Championship challenger D Gukesh from India played a hard-fought draw with Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia, while R Praggnanandhaa also settled for a draw with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France in the second round of the tournament.

With seven rounds still to go, Gukesh and Caruana are leading the pack with 1.5 points each, followed closely by Alireza, Praggnanandhaa, Giri, Wesley, Vachier-Lagrave, and Nepomniachtchi with one point each. Deac Bogdan-Daniel and Abdusattorov have half a point each.

Gukesh showcased his skills in a variety of positions, surviving some anxious moments against Nepomniachtchi. Praggnanandhaa pressed for an advantage but was unable to break through Vachier-Lagrave’s defense. Caruana dominated the game against Wesley So but missed out on closing the match, resulting in a draw.

Firouzja, determined to bounce back from his first-round defeat, secured a win over Abdusattorov in 38 moves. The tournament continues to heat up as players battle it out for the USD 350,000 prize money.

Stay tuned for more exciting matches in the Superbet Classic Chess tournament as these top players showcase their skills on the board.