Super Chess Classic Round 1: All Matches End in Draws, Including R Praggnanandhaa vs Alireza Firouzja
All Games in Super Chess Classic Round 1 End in Draws, Including R Praggnanandhaa vs. Alireza Firouzja
Bucharest, Romania – May 15, 2026
In a surprising turn of events, the opening round of the Super Chess Classic concluded with all games ending in draws, including the highly anticipated match between Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa and France’s Alireza Firouzja. This marks the first Classical event of the Grand Chess Tour, and the intensity was palpable as players navigated complex positions.
Praggnanandhaa faced a brief scare against Firouzja, who opted for a Queen’s Gambit Declined. The game initially appeared to be heading towards a quiet draw after three minor pieces were exchanged early on. However, the Indian prodigy chose to complicate matters, allowing Firouzja to establish connected passed pawns on the queenside in exchange for a strong center.
As the middlegame unfolded, Firouzja showcased his tactical prowess, coming close to breaking through Praggnanandhaa’s kingside defenses. Yet, the complexity of the position made it nearly impossible for either player to find the optimal moves consistently. An error on move 35 led to an equal rook-and-pawn endgame, and despite being a pawn down, Praggnanandhaa managed to secure a draw, a fitting conclusion to a hard-fought battle.
The day featured several other notable matches, all ending in draws. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France faced Dutchman Anish Giri in a keenly contested game that saw Giri holding a slight edge at one point. However, after a series of exchanges, both players agreed to a draw after 32 moves.
World Championship challenger Javokhir Sindarov struggled against Romanian Deac Bogdan-Daniel, who expertly navigated the King’s Indian Defence into a known drawing line, securing a peaceful result.
In another match, last-minute replacement Jorden Van Foreest of the Netherlands, stepping in for American Levon Aronian, held top seed Fabiano Caruana to a draw. Caruana’s Nimzo-Indian Defence equalized early, and after a pawn sacrifice, Van Foreest ensured he walked away with half a point.
The final game of the day saw Wesley So of the United States and Vincent Keymer of Germany also end in a draw. Their Closed Berlin led to a tense middlegame, ultimately transposing into a rook-and-pawn endgame that concluded after 56 moves.
The Super Chess Classic features ten players competing in a nine-round event, with a total prize pool of $350,000, including $100,000 reserved for the winner. As the tournament progresses, fans eagerly await the next round, hoping for more decisive outcomes.
Super Chess Classic: Results Round 1
- R Praggnanandhaa (Ind) drew with Alireza Firouzja (Fra)
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra) drew with Anish Giri (Ned)
- Deac Bogdan-Daniel (Rou) drew with Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb)
- Wesley So (USA) drew with Vincent Keymer (Ger)
- Jorden Van Foreest (Ned) drew with Fabiano Caruana (USA)
Stay tuned for more updates as the Super Chess Classic unfolds!