TWIC is 31. First issue 17th September 1994.88th Tata Steel 2026 (9)
Abdusattorov draws against Sindarov in Tata Steel Masters Round 9 to keep a half point lead
Mark Crowther - Wednesday 28th January 2026
Vincent Keymer resigns against Jorden Van Foreest. Photo © | https://theweekinchess.com
Nodirbek Abdusattorov continues to lead the Tata Steel Masters with a score of 6pts/9 after drawing with closest rival Javokhir Sindarov. However there is now more of a chasing pack on 5.5pts following wins for Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus over Thai Dai Van Nguyen and Jorden Van Foreest who absolutely crushed Vincent Keymer in a sharp London System.
The travails of Gukesh continue when he was thoroughly outplayed by Matthias Bluebaum who is now a point off the lead alongside Hans Moke Niemann who now hasn't won since round 4. The final game to finish saw Praggnanandhaa beat Chithambaram Aravindh in a major piece endgame that seems to me likely to be worth studying.
Round 9 Standings: 1st Abdusattorov 6pts, 2nd= Erdogmus, Sindarov, Van Foreest 5.5pts, 5th= Niemann, Bluebaum 5pts, 7th= Giri, Fedoseev 4.5pts 9th= Keymer, Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh 4pts, 13th Nguyen 3pts and 14th Aravindh 2.5pts.
Round 10 Wed 28th 1pm Jan 2026: Abdusattorov-Fedoseev, Bluebaum-Giri, Erdogmus-Gukesh, Aravindh-Nguyen, Niemann-Praggnanandhaa, Keymer-Erigaisi and Sindarov-Van Foreest.
Round 9
Tata Steel Round 9 Van Foreest-Keymer Photo © Michiel Abeln
The game of the day was no doubt Jorden Van Foreest's win against Vincent Keymer. Van Foreest wasn't sure he was going to play the London but the move order offered to him was intended, he had already reminded himself of the stem game for 9.h4 by Tabatabaei, a game he was sat next to when it was played. Keymer just didn't get things right, a6 at some point was necessary, 0-0 was almost certainly necessary, he could also have played h6, black was uncomfortable but by not addressing these issues Keymer was in trouble and after 13...Ng8 completely lost, and Van Foreest took no time at all demonstrating this.
Tata Steel Round 9 Gukesh-Bluebaum Photo © Michiel Abeln
Gukesh should have been lifted by his round 8 win, instead he lost an absolutely horrible game to Matthias Bluebaum. After a bishops opening Gukesh as white managed to bury his own bishop in a sort of reverse Benoni structure, he had one chance to be rid of it, and then one chance to start something on the Queenside, when these things didn't happen Bluebaum just blew him away.
Tata Steel Round 9 Nguyen-Erdogmus Photo © Michiel Abeln
Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus beat Thai Dai Van Nguyen in 36 moves. Erdogmus gradually outplayed his opponent, he was probably a bit better after 23 moves and his opponent got into his now habitual time trouble, 31.Na5? was the losing move although 32.Na4 was missed by Erdogmus he found the single crushing move 32.Qb4! that secured victory.
Tata Steel Round 9 Sindarov-Abdusattorov Photo © Michiel Abeln
The leaders and fellow countrymen Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov drew a reasonably interesting and unsual Slav/Catalan in 40 moves.
Tata Steel Round 9 Giri-Fedoseev Photo © Michiel Abeln
Anish Giri and Vladimir Fedoseev drew a fairly dull Petroff that was more or less balanced throughout.
Tata Steel Round 9 Erigaisi-Niemann Photo © Michiel Abeln
Erigaisi-Niemann was a very cautious draw. Niemann seems to be becalmed after a lively start.
Tata Steel Round 9 Praggnanandhaa-Aravindh Photo © Michiel Abeln
The final game to finish saw Praggnanandhaa beat Chithambaram Aravindh. I was certainly puzzled by this endgame. First Chithambaram took Queens off, maybe it would have been easier to hold without, but secondly the Rook and Pawn endgame was drawn too, I'm guessing it wasn't the hardest endgame to get right but it sure looked instructional to me.
| 88th Tata Steel Masters Wijk aan Zee (NED), 16 i-1 ii 2026 | cat. XIX (2723) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| 1. | Abdusattorov, Nodirbek | g | UZB | 2751 | * | ½ | ½ | . | ½ | . | 0 | . | 1 | 1 | . | 1 | 1 | ½ | 6 | 2848 | |||||||
| 2. | Sindarov, Javokhir | g | UZB | 2726 | ½ | * | 1 | . | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | . | . | ½ | 5½ | 2803 | |||||||
| 3. | Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan | g | TUR | 2658 | ½ | 0 | * | 1 | ½ | . | . | . | ½ | . | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 5½ | 2810 | |||||||
| 4. | Van Foreest, Jorden | g | NED | 2703 | . | . | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | . | . | ½ | 1 | 5½ | 2792 | |||||||
| 5. | Niemann, Hans Moke | g | USA | 2725 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | . | 1 | 0 | . | ½ | . | . | 1 | 5 | 2762 | |||||||
| 6. | Bluebaum, Matthias | g | GER | 2679 | . | 0 | . | ½ | ½ | * | . | . | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 5 | 2773 | |||||||
| 7. | Giri, Anish | g | NED | 2760 | 1 | ½ | . | 0 | . | . | * | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | 4½ | 2733 | |||||||
| 8. | Fedoseev, Vladimir | g | SLO | 2705 | . | ½ | . | ½ | 0 | . | ½ | * | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | . | 4½ | 2737 | |||||||
| 9. | Keymer, Vincent | g | GER | 2776 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | * | . | . | . | . | 1 | 4 | 2668 | |||||||
| 10. | Gukesh, D | g | IND | 2754 | 0 | ½ | . | ½ | . | 0 | 0 | 1 | . | * | ½ | ½ | 1 | . | 4 | 2680 | |||||||
| 11. | Erigaisi, Arjun | g | IND | 2775 | . | . | 0 | . | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | . | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | ½ | 4 | 2667 | |||||||
| 12. | Praggnanandhaa, R | g | IND | 2758 | 0 | . | ½ | . | . | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | ½ | 0 | * | ½ | 1 | 4 | 2672 | |||||||
| 13. | Nguyen, Thai Dai Van | g | CZE | 2656 | 0 | . | 0 | ½ | . | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | . | 3 | 2602 | |||||||
| 14. | Aravindh, Chithambaram VR. | g | IND | 2700 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | . | . | 0 | . | ½ | 0 | . | * | 2½ | 2561 | |||||||
| Round 9 (January 27, 2026) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sindarov, Javokhir | - Abdusattorov, Nodirbek | ½-½ | 40 | D11 | Slav Defence | |
| Van Foreest, Jorden | - Keymer, Vincent | 1-0 | 26 | D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | |
| Giri, Anish | - Fedoseev, Vladimir | ½-½ | 49 | C43 | Petroff's Defence | |
| Gukesh, D | - Bluebaum, Matthias | 0-1 | 37 | C24 | Bishop's Opening | |
| Erigaisi, Arjun | - Niemann, Hans Moke | ½-½ | 22 | A33 | English Symmetrical | |
| Praggnanandhaa, R | - Aravindh, Chithambaram VR. | 1-0 | 84 | D38 | QGD Ragozin | |
| Nguyen, Thai Dai Van | - Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan | 0-1 | 36 | C77 | Ruy Lopez Anderssen | |
| Tata Steel Challengers Wijk aan Zee (NED), 16 i-1 ii 2026 | cat. XII (2544) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||
| 1. | Woodward, Andy | g | USA | 2608 | * | ½ | . | . | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | . | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7½ | 2775 | |||||||
| 2. | Suleymanli, Aydin | g | AZE | 2628 | ½ | * | . | . | ½ | 1 | . | 1 | ½ | . | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2723 | |||||||
| 3. | Maurizzi, MarcAndria | g | FRA | 2611 | . | . | * | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | . | 0 | 1 | ½ | . | 1 | 1 | 6½ | 2704 | |||||||
| 4. | Ivanchuk, Vasyl | g | UKR | 2605 | . | . | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | . | . | 1 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 6 | 2642 | |||||||
| 5. | Assaubayeva, Bibisara | g | KAZ | 2497 | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | ½ | 1 | . | . | . | 5 | 2633 | |||||||
| 6. | Yip, Carissa | m | USA | 2466 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | . | . | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | . | . | 4½ | 2578 | |||||||
| 7. | Yuffa, Daniil | g | ESP | 2604 | 0 | . | ½ | . | ½ | . | * | . | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 4½ | 2533 | |||||||
| 8. | Oro, Faustino | m | ARG | 2516 | 0 | 0 | . | . | ½ | . | . | * | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 4½ | 2535 | |||||||
| 9. | Warmerdam, Max | g | NED | 2576 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | . | 0 | ½ | 1 | * | . | . | 1 | 0 | . | 4 | 2498 | |||||||
| 10. | Ivic, Velimir | g | SRB | 2638 | . | . | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | . | * | 1 | . | 0 | 1 | 3½ | 2449 | |||||||
| 11. | L'Ami, Erwin | g | NED | 2634 | . | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | . | 0 | * | . | . | 1 | 3 | 2426 | |||||||
| 12. | Panesar, Vedant | f | IND | 2406 | 0 | ½ | . | ½ | . | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | . | . | * | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2411 | |||||||
| 13. | Lu, Miaoyi | m | CHN | 2431 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | . | . | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | . | 1 | * | . | 3 | 2451 | |||||||
| 14. | Roebers, Eline | m | NED | 2398 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | . | . | 1 | 0 | . | 0 | 0 | 0 | . | * | 1 | 2232 | |||||||
| Round 9 (January 27, 2026) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodward, Andy | - Yuffa, Daniil | 1-0 | 51 | E17 | Queens Indian | |
| Suleymanli, Aydin | - Oro, Faustino | 1-0 | 38 | B12 | Caro Kann Advanced | |
| Assaubayeva, Bibisara | - Yip, Carissa | ½-½ | 72 | E11 | Bogo Indian Defence | |
| Warmerdam, Max | - Maurizzi, MarcAndria | 1-0 | 45 | D37 | QGD 5.Bf4 | |
| Panesar, Vedant | - Ivanchuk, Vasyl | ½-½ | 92 | B33 | Sicilian Sveshnikov | |
| Lu, Miaoyi | - Ivic, Velimir | 1-0 | 57 | B30 | Sicilian Rossolimo | |
| Roebers, Eline | - L'Ami, Erwin | 0-1 | 34 | B95 | Sicilian Najdorf with 6.Bg5 | |
Tata Steel Chess Wijk aan Zee 2026
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