R Praggnanandhaa Misses Out on Joint Leader Spot at Superbet Classic Chess Tournament

Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa Misses Out on Joint Leader Position at Superbet Classic Chess Tournament

In a thrilling third round at the Superbet Classic chess tournament, Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa narrowly missed out on becoming a joint leader after settling for a draw against fellow Indian player D Gukesh. The intense match saw both players showcasing their skills and strategies on the board.

Praggnanandhaa, who had previously lost to Gukesh in the last Candidates tournament, had a chance for redemption in this game. However, despite having opportunities to secure a win, he could not find the winning continuation after Gukesh spoiled a drawn endgame.

The Catalan opening set the stage for an exciting battle, with Gukesh sacrificing a pawn early on to gain an advantage. Praggnanandhaa fought back with his own counterplay, but Gukesh managed to recover the pawn and maintain his lead.

As the game progressed, Gukesh made a crucial blunder that led to a forced liquidation and a King and pawns endgame. Despite the tense moments, luck was on Gukesh’s side as the game ended in a draw.

With all five games in the tournament ending in draws, the leaderboard remained unchanged. Gukesh and Fabiano Caruana of the United States continued to lead the pack with two points each. Praggnanandhaa, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Alireza Firouzja, Wesley So, Anish Giri, and Ian Nepomniachtchi followed closely behind with 1.5 points each.

As the tournament progresses, the competition is heating up, with players vying for the top spot and a share of the USD 350,000 prize money. With six rounds still to go, fans can expect more thrilling matches and intense battles on the chessboard.