Superbet Classic Round 3: Praggnanandhaa takes joint lead after scoring first win

GM Fabiano Caruana and India's Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu secured their first wins of the tournament, propelling them to the top of the leaderboard after three rounds of intense competition, in the third round of play at the Superbet Chess Classic Romania 2025,

Praggnanandhaa displayed his chess brilliance against GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov in another gripping encounter.

Despite not expecting a Grunfeld Defense, the Indian grandmaster’s innovative opening, particularly the advance of his h-pawn, put tremendous pressure on Abdusattorov.

Praggnanandhaa’s calm and calculated endgame led him to a well-deserved victory, showcasing his preparation and strategic depth.

Caruana, who had previously been on the back foot, made a strong comeback in round 3, overcoming GM Alireza Firouzja.

The match, dubbed the marquee matchup of the day, saw Caruana playing with Black and proving his resilience against Firouzja’s solid defense.

Despite facing immense resistance, Caruana’s precise tactics in the Queen's Gambit Declined allowed him to topple the tournament leader.

Meanwhile, Gukesh Dommaraju played against Romanian Grandmaster Bogdan-Daniel Deac. The game ended in a hard-fought draw, with Gukesh missing a potential winning position after outplaying Deac early on.

Gukesh had a clear tactical opportunity with 19.f5, which could have secured a victory, but he opted for a different approach, which required more effort. Despite this, Deac's strong defense and time pressure allowed him to hold the draw.

While Gukesh's performance wasn't perfect, he showed resilience and creativity in his play. His fans will undoubtedly forgive this missed chance, as the young Indian grandmaster continues to impress with his bold and aggressive style on the board.

Key Round 3 Results:

Fabiano Caruana (2776) def. Alireza Firouzja (2757) – 1-0

Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (2758) def. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2771) – 1-0

Levon Aronian (2747) vs. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2723) – 1/2-1/2

Gukesh Dommaraju (2787) vs. Bogdan-Daniel Deac (2668) – 1/2-1/2

Wesley So (2751) vs. Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2739) – 1/2-1/2