Praggnanandhaa Held to Draw as Firouzja Withdraws from Super Chess Classic

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa Held to Draw as Alireza Firouzja Withdraws from Super Chess Classic

In a gripping sixth round of the Super Chess Classic, Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa faced off against Romania’s Deac Bogdan-Daniel, ultimately settling for a draw after a tense 68-move battle. Meanwhile, French prodigy Alireza Firouzja made headlines by officially withdrawing from the tournament due to an ankle injury, marking a disappointing end to his campaign.

Firouzja, who had only managed to compete in two games, struggled with his injury and decided he could no longer continue in the ten-player tournament. His departure opened the door for Germany’s Vincent Keymer, who was awarded a walkover victory, allowing him to extend his lead to a full point at the top of the standings.

With all other matches in round six ending in stalemates, Keymer now sits comfortably in first place with 4.5 points. A competitive pack of four players, including Praggnanandhaa, Jorden Van Foreest, Anish Giri, and top seed Fabiano Caruana, are tied for second with 3.5 points each.

Further down the leaderboard, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Wesley So are tied for sixth with 3 points, while World Championship challenger Javokhir Sindarov trails closely with 2.5 points. Bogdan-Daniel, despite being the lowest-ranked competitor, showcased his resilience on home turf, currently occupying the ninth spot with 2 points. Firouzja’s abbreviated campaign concludes with just 1 point.

In his match against Bogdan-Daniel, Praggnanandhaa opted for the aggressive Stonewall Dutch defense, aiming to create early complications. However, Bogdan-Daniel remained composed, responding accurately to Praggnanandhaa’s tactical maneuvers. Although the Indian Grandmaster briefly gained a pawn advantage, the draw was ultimately inevitable.

In other notable matches, Javokhir Sindarov played to his fifth draw of the tournament against Fabiano Caruana. The Uzbek Grandmaster, fresh off his victory in the Candidates tournament, is still in search of his first win in this prestigious event. Facing Caruana’s Italian Opening, Sindarov opted for a cautious approach, leading to a repetition of moves.

The day’s final match featured an all-Dutch showdown, where Van Foreest and Giri also split the points. With three rounds remaining in the tournament, which boasts a total prize fund of $375,000—$100,000 of which is reserved for the champion—the stakes are high as players vie for supremacy.

Round 6 Results:

• Deac Bogdan-Daniel (Rou, 2) drew with R Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 3.5)
• Vincent Keymer (Ger, 4.5) walk-over Alireza Firouzja (Fra, 1)
• Fabiano Caruana (USA, 3.5) drew with Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb, 2.5)
• Jorden Van Foreest (Ned, 3.5) drew with Anish Giri (Ned, 3.5)

(With PTI inputs)