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Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

Tata Steel Chess 2025 Round 11: Gukesh Retains Lead, Praggnanandhaa Moves to 2nd

ChessChess PersonalitiesOver the boardTournament
In a day of decisive chess, GM Gukesh D retains his sole lead as GM Praggnanandhaa R caught up with GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov in second after defeating GM Fabiano Caruana.

Tournament Information

The Tata Steel Chess tournament is one of the longest-running chess tournaments in history. It has attracted the world's top players for decades and is currently celebrating its 87th edition. The Masters section pits 14 players in a big single-player round robin, setting the stage for exhilarating chess battles as the clash of styles and ratings makes for quite the spectacle. The Challengers section is similarly structured, and Tata Steel Chess also includes a well-attended Amateurs section.

The Lichess broadcast coverage can be found here.

Schedule

RoundDate and Time
12February 1, 13:00 UTC
13February 2, 13:00 UTC

Leaderboard

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GM Gukesh D vs. GM Wei Yi 1/2-1/2


Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess


Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

GM Wei Yi's early d5 in the Two Knights Defense Italian Game was certainly a somewhat risky attempt at achieving equality, but it was also a very forcing way to do so. GM Gukesh D had to find very precise moves to keep any semblance of an advantage going, and even then, it would have been an open question whether or not White were actually better. As it stood, Gukesh's first-move opening advantage evaporated and the resulting endgame was drawn by Wei without too much difficulty.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/iAu6JSH1/Dfxt7E7j#0

GM Fabiano Caruana vs. GM Praggnanandhaa R 0-1


Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

GM Fabiano Caruana showed some electrifying opening preparation against GM Praggnanandhaa R as he revealed his aggressive intentions by castling queenside in an opening which rarely sees O-O-O: the Queen's Gambit Declined, which was arrived at by transposition from the English Opening. Caruana's opening experiment seemed to be working as he had a slight advantage, but the game remained complicated and Praggnanandhaa's king was extremely safe, while Caruana's could get attacked at a moment's notice. That is exactly what transpired as two inexact moves by Caruana allowed Praggnanandhaa to crash through on the weakened queenside.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/iAu6JSH1/uAG5Gqyz#0

GM Vincent Keymer vs. GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov 1/2-1/2


Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov had a very good chance to catch Gukesh in first as he had a winning advantage against GM Vincent Keymer. Indeed, Abdusattorov made incredible use of Keymer's misplaced rook, which was at one point threatening Abdusattorov's king, to break through in the center and infiltrate with his pieces. On move 38, though, Abdusattorov misevaluated the resulting position and allowed Keymer to trade queens, whereafter Keymer, following a long battle, was able to hold the draw.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/iAu6JSH1/JNQVLNZr#0

GM Vladimir Fedoseev vs. GM Leon Luke Mendonca 0-1


Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

GM Leon Luke Mendonca's Catalan Opening preparation against GM Vladimir Fedoseev was both uncommon and effective. In fact, with Mendonca's activity, it looked as if Black had not only equalized, but even had a slightly better position. With a knight + rook vs. bishop + rook endgame on the board, it was actually rather difficult for Fedoseev to play the bishop side as Mendonca was very active. The best way to save the game for Fedoseev was the stunning 27. Rd1!!, with the idea 27...Ne4 28. Bb5!! intending to make use of the passed c-pawn. After Fedoseev played 27. Be2, he was effectively lost, and a further blunder on move 29 sealed his fate.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/iAu6JSH1/zntqjSAd#0

GM Anish Giri vs. GM Max Warmerdam 1-0


Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

GM Anish Giri once again presented some creative ideas in the opening as he made use of a rare setup in the Italian Game, Giuoco Pianissimo and activated his queen via e3. GM Max Warmerdam was not in any real danger, though, and appeared to be holding the game despite his time trouble. However, Giri was able to find a very accurate plan in the opposite-colored bishop double rook endgame and won in exemplary fashion.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/iAu6JSH1/wD2dbF8a#0

GM Alexey Sarana vs. GM Pentala Harikrishna 0-1


Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

Passivity was the name of the game in GM Alexey Sarana vs. GM Pentala Harikrishna. Sarana was basically never in the game, especially as soon as he played 17. Be1 — in fact one of the better moves in the position, but a bad omen for Sarana's piece harmony. Harikrishna played precisely, putting his bishops on active sqaures, where they looked quite intimidating; then, he compelled Sarana to sacrifice an exchange, whereafter Harikrishna converted with no real difficulties.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/iAu6JSH1/n074qloL#0

GM Jorden van Foreest vs. GM Arjun Erigaisi 1/2-1/2


Photo credit: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess

Today's encounter between GM Jorden van Foreest and GM Arjun Erigaisi, which featured the Sämisch Variation of the Nimzo-Indian Defense, promised to be an exciting battle what with the inherent dynamic nature of the Sämisch Variation. The line played by both players, however, while highly exciting visually, looked to be a worked out equalizing line. After an equal rook endgame arose, a draw was agreed on move 32.

https://lichess.org/study/embed/iAu6JSH1/UdXqk1Xq#0

Round 12 Pairings

Player (White)Player (Black)
GM Jorden van ForeestGM Gukesh D
GM Arjun ErigaisiGM Nodirbek Abdusattorov
GM Praggnanandhaa RGM Alexey Sarana
GM Wei YiGM Anish Giri
GM Max WarmerdamGM Vladimir Fedoseev
GM Leon Luke MendoncaGM Fabiano Caruana
GM Pentala HarikrishnaGM Vincent Keymer

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