Sinquefield Cup: Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa settle for draws in 2nd round
Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa are currently tied for second spot with six other grandmasters.
D Gukesh in action during a chess event. (File Photo: PTI)
The successor of the world championship challenger grandmaster (GM) D Gukesh played out a draw against GM Ian Nepomniatchchi on Tuesday in round two of the ongoing Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis.
The other Indian in the fray GM R Praggnanandhaa also settled for a draw against the French GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (MVL).
"Throughout the game, I felt I was in complete control. Probably not winning, but it was very unpleasant for him," Gukesh said in a video posted by Grand Chess Tour.
GM Alireza Firouza is currently the tournament's sole leader at the end of the second round with 1.5 points. Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa are currently tied for second spot with six other grandmasters.
All the other games at the St. Louis Chess Club ended in a draw as GM Ding Liren with the black pieces forced a perpetual on GM Anish Giri to make a draw.
In the battle of two American grandmasters Wesley So and Fabiano Caruana, the game remained equalised throughout and ended in a draw by three-fold repetition.
GM Nodirbek Abdusattarav was up against GM Alireza Firouza, who seemed to regain his confidence and momentum.
Nodirbek with the white pieces kept pressing for a win but a solid defence by the Alireza diminished any hopes for the Uzbek prodigy and the players shook hands for a draw.
It’ll be an all-Indian affair in round three as Praggnanandhaa will take on Gukesh. Alireza is set to face MVL, World Champion Ding Liren will be up against Wesley So.
Fabiano Caruana will face the Uzbek prodigy Nodirbek Abdusattarav and Ian Nepommniactchi to play against the Dutch Anish Giri.
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