Indian Grandmasters Gukesh and Praggnanadhaa Draw Eighth Consecutive Games at Sinquefield Cup, Alireza Firouzja Secures Grand Chess Tour Title

India’s young Grandmasters D Gukesh and R Praggnanadhaa continued their impressive performance at the Sinquefield Cup, part of the Grand Chess Tour, by drawing their eighth consecutive games in the tournament. In the eighth round, Gukesh faced off against Holland’s Anish Giri and ended with a draw in just 23 moves, while Praggnanadhaa played against local favorite Fabiano Caruana, resulting in another draw after 28 moves.

With all games in the eighth round ending in draws, the spotlight was on Alireza Firouzja of France, who secured the Grand Chess Tour title with one round remaining, earning a USD 100,000 bonus. Firouzja played a marathon 80-move game against Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi, which ultimately ended in a draw.

The remaining games in the eighth round saw Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov drawing with China’s Ding Liren, and France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave drawing with Wesley So of the United States. Alireza’s impressive total of 5.5 points from eight games puts him in a strong position to win the tour, with only Caruana having a chance to potentially match his score.

Reflecting on his performance, Alireza expressed his happiness at winning the tour, noting the tough competition and the exhaustion that comes with it. The third place is currently a five-way tie between Gukesh, Praggnanadhaa, Vachier-Lagrave, So, and Abdusattorov, all holding four points each.

Gukesh and Praggnanadhaa’s games in the eighth round saw them facing little complication and ultimately ending in draws through repetition of moves. Firouzja’s win in the tour highlights his strong performance and marks his first title in this prestigious series, solidifying his position as a rising star in the world of chess.