Pranesh Triumphs Again: Gukesh Faces Consecutive Defeats at Chennai Grand Masters
Pranesh Hands Gukesh Another Defeat at Chennai Grand Masters
In a stunning display of skill and strategy, Grandmaster M Pranesh continued his impressive run at the Chennai Grand Masters by defeating reigning world champion D Gukesh for the second consecutive time. The highly anticipated Round 6 encounter on Tuesday not only reshaped the tournament’s leaderboard but also left spectators in awe of Pranesh’s tactical prowess.
The elite eight-player round-robin tournament, organized by MGD1, features some of the world’s leading grandmasters and boasts a prize pool of ₹75 lakh along with valuable FIDE Circuit points. The day kicked off with a ceremonial first move made by Narendra Kumar, Managing Trustee of the Chola Foundation, alongside Woman Grandmaster Aarthie Ramaswamy, setting an exciting tone for the matches ahead.
Much of the spotlight was on Gukesh, who entered the game eager to secure his first victory of the tournament. However, the world champion faltered with a series of inaccurate calculations, allowing Pranesh to seize the initiative. The young prodigy capitalized on Gukesh’s mistakes, wrapping up the match in just 39 moves. This victory marked Pranesh’s first win of the competition and handed Gukesh his second successive defeat, raising questions about the reigning champion’s form.
On the neighboring board, GM Nihal Sarin faced off against Arjun Erigaisi in a crucial match that had significant implications for the standings. Erigaisi, needing only a draw to stay level with the tournament leader, found himself in a precarious position. Nihal executed a stunning rook sacrifice that shifted the momentum of the game, ultimately forcing Erigaisi to resign after 60 moves.
The day’s results reshaped the leaderboard, with French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja moving into sole lead on four points after drawing his game against GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Erigaisi’s defeat left him tied with Abdusattorov on 3.5 points as the tournament heads into its final round.
In other matches, Hans Niemann and Dmitry Andreikin shared the points after their game ended in a draw, while Firouzja maintained his lead with a hard-fought draw against Abdusattorov.
As the tournament approaches its climax, all eyes will be on the final round, where every move could prove decisive in the race for the championship title. With Pranesh’s remarkable performance and the fierce competition among the grandmasters, the Chennai Grand Masters continues to deliver thrilling chess action.