TATA Steel Chess 2025, Round 6: Gukesh holds Abdusattorov; Praggnanandhaa maintains lead

In Round 6 of the Tata Steel Chess 2025 tournament, D. Gukesh showcased remarkable resilience to hold overnight joint leader Nodirbek Abdusattorov to a draw, while R. Praggnanandhaa also shared the spoils with defending champion Wei Yi, on Saturday.

Abdusattorov and Praggnanandhaa continue to share the lead with 4.5 points from six rounds, while Gukesh remains close behind with 4 points. With seven rounds still to go, the race for the title remains wide open.

Gukesh faced a challenging endgame in his match against Abdusattorov, who gained an edge through precise play in the middle game. The game began with the Italian Opening, evolving into a dynamic battle.

Abdusattorov pressed hard in the endgame, sacrificing a knight for three pawns to apply pressure. However, Gukesh’s exceptional defensive skills came to the fore, and he capitalized on a minor error to secure a hard-fought draw after 64 moves.

Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa, playing with the white pieces, opted for the Ruy Lopez against Wei Yi. The defending champion managed to neutralize Praggnanandhaa’s advances with consistent counterplay, and the game ended in a draw after 58 moves.

P. Harikrishna also played a strong game against Jorden van Foreest of the Netherlands, leveraging two extra pawns to gain an advantage. However, van Foreest used his bishop pair effectively to hold the game to a draw.

Arjun Erigaisi, struggling for form in the tournament, opted for a safe approach against top-seeded Fabiano Caruana. Their Berlin Defense game ended in a quick draw, following routine theory into a minor piece endgame. Similarly, Leon Luke Mendonca shared the spoils with Max Warmerdam of the Netherlands in a Queen’s Pawn opening.

In the Challengers section, R. Vaishali drew her game against Irina Bulmaga of Romania in a rook-and-pawn endgame, while 11-year-old Argentine prodigy Faustino Oro defeated Divya Deshmukh.

The tournament’s first major event of the year has already seen intense battles, with every round offering surprises and showcasing high-quality chess.

Results (Round 6):

Masters:

- Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb, 4.5) drew with D. Gukesh (Ind, 4)

- R. Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 4.5) drew with Wei Yi (Chn, 3)

- P. Harikrishna (Ind, 3.5) drew with Jorden van Foreest (Ned, 2)

- Arjun Erigaisi (Ind, 1.5) drew with Fabiano Caruana (USA, 3)

- Leon Luke Mendonca (Ind, 1.5) drew with Max Warmerdam (Ned, 2.5)

- Alexey Sarana (Srb, 3.5) beat Vladimir Fedoseev (Slo, 3.5)

Challengers:

- R. Vaishali (Ind, 3.5) drew with Irina Bulmaga (Rom, 1)

- Divya Deshmukh (Ind, 1.5) lost to Faustino Oro (Arg, 2.5)