The 2024 Tata Steel Chess Masters tournament in Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands, witnessed a significant shift in the standings after the completion of the ninth round. Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh, fresh off his historic victory at the Candidates tournament qualifying him for the World Championship match, seized the outright lead.
Gukesh secured his position at the top with a straightforward victory over compatriot Leon Mendonca. This result marked Gukesh`s third consecutive win playing with the white pieces, a consistent performance that has propelled him to 6.5 points. Following his game, Gukesh expressed quiet satisfaction with his play, stating, “Happy that I played a good game today.”
The race for the top spot had been tight, but other results on the day helped clarify the situation. Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Fabiano Caruana, both contenders previously sharing points near the lead, played out an intense game that ultimately concluded in a draw. This result kept them half a point behind Gukesh.
Meanwhile, fellow Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa faced a setback, losing his game to Dutch veteran Anish Giri. This was Giri`s first victory of the tournament after a series of draws – one might say a well-timed win for the home favourite, even if it came at the expense of a co-leader`s tournament chances. Praggnanandhaa`s loss dropped him to 5.5 points.
Another player making a move upwards was Vladimir Fedoseev, who defeated India`s Pentala Harikrishna. This win, Fedoseev`s fourth in his last six games, brought him level with Abdusattorov on 6.0 points, positioning them both just behind Gukesh.
For other Indian participants in the Masters section, the round brought little relief. Arjun Erigaisi drew his game against Wei Yi. Erigaisi has struggled to find his form in Wijk Aan Zee and remains at the bottom of the standings along with Leon Mendonca, both on 2.5 points.
In the accompanying Tata Steel Challengers event, an all-Indian encounter between R Vaishali and Divya Deshmukh concluded peacefully with a draw. Vaishali sits on 5 points, while Deshmukh is second-to-last in the Challengers standings.
With only four rounds remaining, every game takes on increased significance. The standings are fluid, and the pressure is mounting. In the tenth round, Gukesh will play Max Warmerdam, while R Praggnanandhaa faces Vladimir Fedoseev in what could be a crucial game for Praggnanandhaa`s hopes of recovering lost ground and challenging for the title.
Standings After Round 9
- Dommaraju Gukesh: 6.5
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov: 6.0
- Vladimir Fedoseev: 6.0
- R Praggnanandhaa: 5.5
- Alexey Sarana: 5.0
- Fabiano Caruana: 5.0
- Wei Yi: 5.0
- Anish Giri: 4.5
- Pentala Harikrishna: 4.0
- Jordan van Foreest: 3.5
- Vincent Keymer: 3.5
- Max Warmerdam: 3.5
- Leon Luke Mendonca: 2.5
- Arjun Erigaisi: 2.5
Finley Holt