Candidates 2024: Pragg, Vidit lose, Gukesh drops to joint second

Round 11 of the 2024 Candidates saw some feisty matchups on the cards but resulted in disappointment for the Indian contingent in the Open category at the Great Hall in Toronto on Wednesday.

Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi lost their respective games while Gukesh's draw against Ian Nepomniachtchi saw him slip to the second spot in the standings. 

The game between Gujrathi and title holder Ian Nepomniachtchi ended in a victory for the latter and helped him pull clear in the first spot. Vidit would be ruing his errors and the chances he missed as Nepomniachtchi took full advantage of Vidit's slip-ups and emerged victorious. 

Meanwhile, Gukesh played out a respectable draw against Fabiano Caruana and sits in the second spot, just half a point below leader Nepomniachtchi. 

in the battle between Praggnanandhaa and Hikaru Nakamura, the American grandmaster controlled the game solidly with his black pieces before capitalising on Praggnanandhaa's mistakes.

Praggnanandhaa could have gone for a draw several times in the game. Instead, he chose the more complex option whereas Nakamura was precise in converting his advantage, leaving no chances for counterplay for his Indian opponent.

Nepomniachtchi is the sole leader again on 7 points with three rounds to go. He is followed by Gukesh and Nakamura with 6.5 points. Nakamura still has two white games and will meet Nepomniachtchi with black in round 13 followed by Gukesh with white in the last round. 

The closing rounds of the Candidates promise to be very exciting as the players know what is at stake and will be prepared to give it their all.