Superbet Classic: Praggnanandhaa errs from winning position, settles for draw in Round 3

D Gukesh played out a draw against Praggnanandhaa in an all-Indian clash at the Superbet Classic in Bucharest, Romania, on Friday. 

In the battle of two schoolmates from the Velammal Nexus in Chennai, Gukesh started the game with Catalan and the players blitzed out the opening.

Catalan is considered to be an aggressive opening choice, the choice showed Gukesh was going for the kill. 

But, Praggnanandhaa was prepared for this. He countered every trick of Gukesh aptly. 

The middle game was slow and both the Grand Masters took a while before playing their moves. 

As the clock was ticking both the Indians were in a hurry to play their moves.

Thought of exchanging the queens and safeguarding his king at the last minute, Gukesh blundered the position.

Praggnanandhaa with the advantage now exchanged the last standing Rook and went in the end game with a plus-ten advantage.

Pawn-end games are always called out to be tricky, a single mistake cuts out all the advantage and the latter might end up winning.

Unfortunately, Pragg brought out the king and faltered putting the king in the wrong position and bringing the game back to an equal position.

Gukesh was back in the game, this time he gave no chance for any infiltration to Praggnanandhaa and ended the game in a draw.

After the game, Gukesh was seen explaining to Praggnanandhaa how he could have played the other move. 

Eventually, Gukesh survived by a whisker and still holds the first position jointly with Fabiano Caruana of the USA.

Round 2 Results:

There was not much action in the round 3 of the Superbet Classic. All the five games ended in a draw.

• Nodribek Abdusattarav drew against Fabiano Caruana.
  
• Anish Giri drew against Ian Nepomniatchtchi.
• Wesley So drew against Bogdan-Daniel Deac.
• Maxime Vachier Lagrave drew against Alireza Firouza.
• Gukesh D drew against R Praggnandhaa

Round 4 Pairings

• R Praggnanandhaa vs Anish Giri
  
• Alireza Firouza vs Gukesh D
• Fabiano Caruana vs Bogdan-Daniel Deac
• Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Wesley So
• Nodirbek Abdusattarav vs Maxime Vachier Lagrave.