Gukesh takes the lead of the Tata Steel Masters after 9 Rounds

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87th Tata Steel 2025 (9)

Gukesh takes the lead of the Tata Steel Masters after 9 Rounds

FM Michiel Abeln - Tuesday 28th January 2025

Gukesh took the lead with a win in Round 9. Photo ©

Gukesh took the lead with a win in Round 9. Photo © | https://tatasteelchess.com/en

Today produced an opportunity for the World Champion Gukesh to take the lead and he delivered by beating Mendonca in a good game with the white pieces. His co leaders could not match him, Abdusattorov, drew in a solid game against Caruana, and Praggnanandhaa lost to Giri. Gukesh played a complicated game and while his opponent Mendonca played strongly for much of the game, he needed too much time to do so and in zeitnot he made a bad blunder. Giri put Praggnanandhaa under pressure and although he missed a few chances to win earlier he still got the converted the advantage to a full point after the time control.

Abdusattorov played mostly solidly against Caruana but there was one chance in the game, after 29...Rad8?! (29...Qd8) Caruana should have played 30.e5! with quite a nice advantage, but he spurned this chance and the game was quickly drawn. Abdusattorov is now in second place where he was joined by Vladimir Fedoseev who won a well-played game against Pentala Harikrishna.

In the challengers group Nguyen continues to lead after both he and second placed Erwin L'Ami made draws today. L'Ami is now joined by Benjamin Bok in 2nd, he won easily against Irina Bulmaga.

Masters Standings Round 9: 1st Gukesh 6,5 2nd Abdusattorov, Fedoseev 6 points, 4th Praggnanandhaa 5,5 points, 5th Sarana, Caruana, Wei Yi 5 points, 8th Giri 4,5 points, 9th Harikrishna 4 points, 10th Van Foreest, Warmerdam, Keymer 3,5 points 13th Arjun, Mendonca 2,5 points.

Round 10 Jan 29 at 13.00 GMT Erigaisi vs Keymer, Abdusattorov vs Sarana, Harikrishna vs Caruana, Praggnanandhaa vs Fedoseev, Mendonca vs Giri, Warmerdam vs Gukesh, Wei vs Van Foreest,

Challengers Standings Round 9: 1st Nguyen 6, 5 pts, 2nd L' Ami, Bok 6 pts, 4th Suleymanli, Nogerbek 5,5 pts, 6th Lu, Vaishali, Svane, Gurel, 5 pts, 10th Yakubboev 4,5 pts, 11th Pijpers 3,5 pts, 12th Faustino Oro 2,5 pts, 13th Divya 2 pts, 14th Bulmaga 1pt.

Round 10 Jan 29 at 13.00 GMT Yakubboev vs Bok, Pijpers vs Bulmaga, Divya vs Svane, Nguyen vs Vaishali, Suleymanli vs Nogerbek, Gurel vs Lu, L'Ami vs Oro,

Round 9 summary by Michiel Abeln

Gukesh vs Leon Luke Mendonca Tata Steel 2025 Round 9 Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Gukesh vs Leon Luke Mendonca Tata Steel 2025 Round 9 Photo © Michiel Abeln

Gukesh knew before the round he had to push hard for a win: having the white pieces against Mendonca who is struggling was a big opportunity. So Gukesh tried to complicate the fight, took some risks and eventually in time trouble Mendonca first made two inferior moves and then a big blunder and then it was game over. With this win Gukesh has now taken the sole lead.

Gukesh comments on the game afterwards

Anish Giri vs Praggnanandhaa Tata Steel 2025 Round 9 Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Anish Giri vs Praggnanandhaa Tata Steel 2025 Round 9 Photo © Michiel Abeln

Giri won a good game against Praggnanandhaa, who now drops from shared second to 4th place. After the opening White had already some pressure but especially on move 29 Black made a mistake after which White’s advantage became serious and Giri converted without problems after first time control.

Fabiano Caruana vs Nodirbek Abdusattorov Tata Steel 2025 Round 9 Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Fabiano Caruana vs Nodirbek Abdusattorov Tata Steel 2025 Round 9 Photo © Michiel Abeln

Caruana and Abdusattorov was a top encounter that wasn’t too exciting for most of the game either. Caruana surprised his opponent by playing 3.c3 but Abdusattorov was familiar with the antidote 3...a5! This kills the line for White as Caruana admitted afterwards. White tried to push a little in the middlegame, but Black’s position was very solid. Then just as the game was winding down black played the careless 29...Rad8?! (29...Qd8) giving white the possibility of 30.e5! with a nice edge to Caruana who couldn't really explain why he didn't play this. After this missed chance the game quickly petered out to a draw.

Caruana talks about the game.

Vladimir Fedoseev vs Pentala Harikrishna Tata Steel 2025 Round 9 Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Vladimir Fedoseev Tata Steel 2025 Round 9 Photo © Michiel Abeln

Fedoseev won a complicated game against Harikrishna. Both players were amazed by all the possible improvements the engine suggested. In the game Black made two serious mistakes and then his position could no longer be saved.

Wei Yi vs Erigaisi Tata Steel 2025 Round 9 Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Wei Yi vs Erigaisi Tata Steel 2025 Round 9 Photo © Michiel Abeln

Wei Yi played one of the main lines against Arjun’s Ruy Lopez Marshall gambit but he did not show any new ideas. After the queens came off the game quickly headed towards a draw. A solid result for the struggling Arjun, a bit disappointing for Wei Yi that he couldn't make more of having the white pieces.

Jorden Van Foreest vs Max Warmerdam Tata Steel 2025 Round 9 Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Jorden Van Foreest and Max Warmerdam know each other well but that did not prevent them from putting on a sharp fight. Soon van Foreest had a large advantage, but in order to win he had to find a difficult tactical sequence. After he misevaluated and did not go for this he had to bail out and go for a perpetual check. Van Foreest couldn't see to the end of all the lines after 24.Rd7! which is the line engines give as the win.

Sarana and Keymer fought hard but all the way into a double rook endgame and the balance was maintained throughout until the players agreed to a draw on move 45.

Standings

87th Tata Steel Masters Wijk aan Zee (NED), 18 i-2 ii 2025																cat. XX (2726)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Gukesh, D	g	IND	2777	*	½	½	½	½	½	.	1	1	.	1	.	.	1	6½	2888
2.	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	g	UZB	2768	½	*	½	½	.	½	½	½	.	1	.	1	.	1	6	2845
3.	Fedoseev, Vladimir	g	SLO	2717	½	½	*	.	0	1	.	½	1	½	1	.	1	.	6	2865
4.	Praggnanandhaa, R	g	IND	2741	½	½	.	*	.	.	½	0	1	½	.	½	1	1	5½	2800
5.	Sarana, Alexey	g	SRB	2677	½	.	1	.	*	½	½	½	.	½	½	½	½	.	5	2780
6.	Caruana, Fabiano	g	USA	2803	½	½	0	.	½	*	½	½	.	1	1	.	½	.	5	2780
7.	Wei, Yi	g	CHN	2751	.	½	.	½	½	½	*	.	½	.	½	1	½	½	5	2765
8.	Giri, Anish	g	NED	2731	0	½	½	1	½	½	.	*	½	.	½	.	½	.	4½	2745
9.	Harikrishna, Pentala	g	IND	2695	0	.	0	0	.	.	½	½	*	½	.	1	1	½	4	2677
10.	Van Foreest, Jorden	g	NED	2680	.	0	½	½	½	0	.	.	½	*	½	½	.	½	3½	2633
11.	Keymer, Vincent	g	GER	2733	0	.	0	.	½	0	½	½	.	½	*	½	.	1	3½	2633
12.	Warmerdam, Max	g	NED	2646	.	0	.	½	½	.	0	.	0	½	½	*	1	½	3½	2640
13.	Erigaisi, Arjun	g	IND	2801	.	.	0	0	½	½	½	½	0	.	.	0	*	½	2½	2545
14.	Mendonca, Leon Luke	g	IND	2639	0	0	.	0	.	.	½	.	½	½	0	½	½	*	2½	2566

Round 9 (January 28, 2025)
Gukesh, D	- Mendonca, Leon Luke	1-0	43	C78	Ruy Lopez Moeller Defence
Fedoseev, Vladimir	- Harikrishna, Pentala	1-0	41	A45	Trompowsky
Sarana, Alexey	- Keymer, Vincent	½-½	45	E21	Nimzo Indian 4.Nf3
Caruana, Fabiano	- Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	½-½	32	D02	Queen's Pawn Game
Wei, Yi	- Erigaisi, Arjun	½-½	32	C89	Ruy Lopez Marshall
Giri, Anish	- Praggnanandhaa, R	1-0	63	E10	Blumenfeld Counter Gambit
Van Foreest, Jorden	- Warmerdam, Max	½-½	30	D37	QGD 5.Bf4

Tata Steel Challengers Wijk aan Zee (NED), 18 i-2 ii 2025																cat. XII (2547)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
1.	Nguyen, Thai Dai Van	g	CZE	2668	*	½	.	½	½	1	.	.	½	1	1	1	½	.	6½	2707
2.	L'Ami, Erwin	g	NED	2614	½	*	1	½	.	.	½	.	½	½	½	.	1	1	6	2699
3.	Bok, Benjamin	g	NED	2583	.	0	*	½	½	1	½	½	1	.	.	1	.	1	6	2655
4.	Suleymanli, Aydin	g	AZE	2623	½	½	½	*	.	½	.	.	1	0	½	1	1	.	5½	2634
5.	Nogerbek, Kazybek	g	KAZ	2514	½	.	½	.	*	0	½	1	.	½	½	.	1	1	5½	2616
6.	Lu, Miaoyi	m	CHN	2429	0	.	0	½	1	*	1	½	.	.	½	.	1	½	5	2585
7.	Svane, Frederik	g	GER	2664	.	½	½	.	½	0	*	½	.	½	½	1	.	1	5	2552
8.	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	g	IND	2476	.	.	½	.	0	½	½	*	.	1	½	1	½	½	5	2559
9.	Gurel, Ediz	g	TUR	2624	½	½	0	0	.	.	.	.	*	1	1	1	0	1	5	2592
10.	Yakubboev, Nodirbek	g	UZB	2659	0	½	.	1	½	.	½	0	0	*	.	.	1	1	4½	2562
11.	Pijpers, Arthur	m	NED	2474	0	½	.	½	½	½	½	½	0	.	*	½	.	.	3½	2482
12.	Oro, Faustino	m	ARG	2447	0	.	0	0	.	.	0	0	0	.	½	*	1	1	2½	2388
13.	Divya, Deshmukh	m	IND	2490	½	0	.	0	0	0	.	½	1	0	.	0	*	.	2	2341
14.	Bulmaga, Irina	m	ROU	2386	.	0	0	.	0	½	0	½	0	0	.	0	.	*	1	2205

Round 9 (January 28, 2025)
L'Ami, Erwin	- Yakubboev, Nodirbek	½-½	36	B90	Sicilian Najdorf Variation
Nogerbek, Kazybek	- Nguyen, Thai Dai Van	½-½	58	B50	Sicilian Defence
Lu, Miaoyi	- Suleymanli, Aydin	½-½	30	C44	Scotch Gambit
Svane, Frederik	- Pijpers, Arthur	½-½	58	B77	Sicilian Modern Dragon
Vaishali, Rameshbabu	- Divya, Deshmukh	½-½	37	C50	Giuoco Piano
Oro, Faustino	- Gurel, Ediz	0-1	89	E04	Catalan
Bulmaga, Irina	- Bok, Benjamin	0-1	40	B49	Sicilian Paulsen

Tata Steel Top Tienkamp Wijk aan Zee (NED), 17 i-2 ii 2025															cat. VI (2400)
					1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0
1.	Slagboom, Leandro	f	NED	2369	*	1	.	½	½	0	.	1	.	.	3	2492
2.	Grutter, Tim	f	NED	2380	0	*	½	.	.	1	½	.	.	1	3	2453
3.	Smeets, Kobe	f	NED	2355	.	½	*	.	0	1	½	.	1	.	3	2466
4.	Panesar, Vedant	f	IND	2446	½	.	.	*	1	.	.	½	½	½	3	2475
5.	Beukema, Stefan	m	BEL	2423	½	.	1	0	*	.	.	0	.	1	2½	2405
6.	Tudor, Henry Edward	f	ROU	2375	1	0	0	.	.	*	1	.	½	.	2½	2379
7.	Holzke, Frank	g	GER	2426	.	½	½	.	.	0	*	½	.	½	2	2321
8.	Zwirs, Nico	m	NED	2476	0	.	.	½	1	.	½	*	0	.	2	2334
9.	Lohia, Sohum	f	ENG	2367	.	.	0	½	.	½	.	1	*	0	2	2334
10.	Sofronie, Iulian	m	ROU	2380	.	0	.	½	0	.	½	.	1	*	2	2336

Round 5 (January 28, 2025)
Grutter, Tim	- Holzke, Frank	½-½	51	B31	Sicilian Rossolimo
Smeets, Kobe	- Beukema, Stefan	0-1	48	C84	Ruy Lopez Centre Attack
Tudor, Henry Edward	- Lohia, Sohum	½-½	70	E06	Catalan
Zwirs, Nico	- Slagboom, Leandro	0-1	53	D04	Queen's Pawn Game
Sofronie, Iulian	- Panesar, Vedant	½-½	44	A45	Trompowsky