TWIC is 31. First issue 17th September 1994.88th Tata Steel 2026 (10)
Abdusattorov leads on 6.5/10 Sindarov, Van Foreest and Bluebaum are in the chasing pack
Mark Crowther - Thursday 29th January 2026
Gukesh and Erdogmus at the start of their game. Photo © Michiel Abeln | https://theweekinchess.com
Nodirbek Abdusattorov continues to lead the Tata Steel Masters by half a point after the tenth round. Abdusattorov hasn't won a game since Giri beat him in Round 8 but no-one has caught him yet, today there was a draw against Vladimir Fedoseev where both players enjoyed the advantage at one stage or another.
Discussion today has centred around why there have been so many errors with both Keymer and Gukesh talking about it. A combination of the youth and ambition of the field combined with the first time control with no increment has probably contributed.
In second place Jorden Van Foreest and Javokhir Sindarov played each other and drew a well played game, they're now joined by Matthias Bluebaum who was confronted with an aggressive Anish Giri who played the Modern Defence, Giri was doing fine according to the engine until 15...h5? which relied on a cute tactical point that actually fails on move 21, long line wrong line as Larsen used to say.
14 year old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus seemed to be making a run but was upset today by World Champion Gukesh, that said Gukesh avoided a likely draw with 24...Bb3 with another long sequence that was actually wrong, the quiet 28.Rad1 would have won for Erdogmus, as it was he lost an endgame.
In the battle of the tail-enders Chithambaram Aravindh won a game against Thai Dai Van Nguyen where he was completely busted for some time. Vincent Keymer beat Arjun Erigaisi in a game where the Indian played a poor opening and just suffered until he lost. Hans Niemann had a brief chance against Praggnanandhaa but didn't take advantage and drew again.
My thanks to Michiel Abeln for five annotated games and the photos.
Aydin Suleymanli leads the Challengers, he beat Daniil Yuffa whilst previous leader Andy Woodward ran into the curse of Vasyl Ivanchuk.
Round 10 Standings: 1st Abdusattorov 6.5pts, 2nd= Sindarov, Van Foreest, Bluebaum 6pts, 5th= Erdogmus, Niemann 5.5pts, 7th= Keymer, Gukesh, Fedoseev 5pts, 10th= Praggnanandhaa, Giri 4.5pts, 12th Erigaisi 4pts, 13th Aravindh 3.5pts, 14th Nguyen 3pts
Final Rest Day Thurs 10th Jan
Round 11 Fri 30th 1pm Jan 2026: Van Foreest-Abdusattorov, Erigaisi-Sindarov, Praggnanandhaa-Keymer, Nguyen-Niemann, Gukesh-Aravindh, Giri-Erdogmus, Fedoseev-Bluebaum.
Round 10
Tata Steel Round 10 Keymer-Erigaisi Photo © Michiel Abeln
Keymer has lost four games so far, and he said it wasn't like he was impressively outplayed, he just played poorly, he's also won four games. Today he won against Arjun Erigaisi, normally a difficult opponent for him, who is normally well prepared but today "it was far too easy out of the opening, he made some weird choices, had a very bad position and basically just suffered."
Tata Steel Round 10 1Bluebaum-Giri Photo © Michiel Abeln
Matthias Bluebaum beat an aggressive Anish Giri who played the Modern and got a decent if not better position, but this is not Giri's style and once the complication arrived he missed good chances 13...Qh4! and 15....0-0-0, instead 15...h5 just lost.
Tata Steel Round 10 Abdusattorov-Fedoseev Photo © Michiel Abeln
Nodirbek Abdusattorov faced Vladimir Fedoseev's Petroff Defence, after 14.h3 the position was equal, 21.Kg2?! gave Fedoseev the advantage, 25.f6?! left white better for a bit, 34...a6?! gave white the advantage but 35.Nd6?! (35.Nd4) made things equal again. The game was drawn in 54 moves.
Gukesh bounced back from yesterday's disaster and he beat Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus. This was a Four Knights where Gukesh equalised, played a clever idea to keep things complicated but 27...Ba6? loses to the counterintuitive 28.Rad1! Gukesh was then much better but Erdogmus got decent holding chances before eventually losing.
Tata Steel Round 10 Sindarov-Van Foreest Photo © Michiel Abeln
Javokhir Sindarov against Jorden Van Foreest was a Janowski Queen's Gambit which burned itself out after 10.d5 initiated a lot of exchanges.
Tata Steel Round 10 Aravindh-Nguyen Photo © Michiel Abeln
Chithambaram Aravindh beat Thai Dai Van Nguyen in a complicated endgame that was initially lost for him after he failed to prevent 70...g4! 74...Be6 threw away the win and 79...Nd8? was the final nail in Nguyen's coffin.
Tata Steel Round 10 Niemann-Praggnanandhaa Photo © Michiel Abeln
Hans Moke Niemann led the event at one stage, that seems a very long time ago, 34...Rd8? 35.Rc1! would have given him good winning chances but 35.c6 was equal and a draw followed.
Tata Steel Chess Wijk aan Zee 2026
| 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 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | . | ½ | 1 | 6½ | 2831 | |||||||
| 2. | Sindarov, Javokhir | g | UZB | 2726 | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | . | ½ | . | 6 | 2793 | |||||||
| 3. | Van Foreest, Jorden | g | NED | 2703 | . | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | . | . | 1 | ½ | 6 | 2785 | |||||||
| 4. | Bluebaum, Matthias | g | GER | 2679 | . | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | . | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 6 | 2805 | |||||||
| 5. | Niemann, Hans Moke | g | USA | 2725 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | . | 0 | . | ½ | ½ | 1 | . | 5½ | 2759 | |||||||
| 6. | Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan | g | TUR | 2658 | ½ | 0 | 1 | . | ½ | * | . | 0 | ½ | . | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 5½ | 2768 | |||||||
| 7. | Fedoseev, Vladimir | g | SLO | 2705 | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | 0 | . | * | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | . | ½ | 5 | 2738 | |||||||
| 8. | Gukesh, D | g | IND | 2754 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | . | 1 | 1 | * | . | 0 | ½ | ½ | . | 1 | 5 | 2717 | |||||||
| 9. | Keymer, Vincent | g | GER | 2776 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 0 | . | * | 1 | . | 1 | 1 | . | 5 | 2718 | |||||||
| 10. | Giri, Anish | g | NED | 2760 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | . | . | ½ | 1 | 0 | * | ½ | ½ | . | ½ | 4½ | 2692 | |||||||
| 11. | Praggnanandhaa, R | g | IND | 2758 | 0 | . | . | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | ½ | * | 0 | 1 | ½ | 4½ | 2680 | |||||||
| 12. | Erigaisi, Arjun | g | IND | 2775 | . | . | . | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | * | ½ | ½ | 4 | 2645 | |||||||
| 13. | Aravindh, Chithambaram VR. | g | IND | 2700 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | . | . | 0 | . | 0 | ½ | * | 1 | 3½ | 2610 | |||||||
| 14. | Nguyen, Thai Dai Van | g | CZE | 2656 | 0 | . | ½ | ½ | . | 0 | ½ | 0 | . | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | * | 3 | 2575 | |||||||
| Round 10 (January 28, 2026) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdusattorov, Nodirbek | - Fedoseev, Vladimir | ½-½ | 54 | C42 | Petroff's Defence | |
| Sindarov, Javokhir | - Van Foreest, Jorden | ½-½ | 34 | D31 | Semi-Slav Defence | |
| Bluebaum, Matthias | - Giri, Anish | 1-0 | 25 | A42 | Modern Defence | |
| Niemann, Hans Moke | - Praggnanandhaa, R | ½-½ | 40 | C10 | French Rubinstein | |
| Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan | - Gukesh, D | 0-1 | 50 | C49 | Four Knights Metger | |
| Keymer, Vincent | - Erigaisi, Arjun | 1-0 | 41 | C84 | Ruy Lopez Centre Attack | |
| Aravindh, Chithambaram VR. | - Nguyen, Thai Dai Van | 1-0 | 84 | C43 | Petroff's Defence | |
| 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. | Suleymanli, Aydin | g | AZE | 2628 | * | ½ | . | . | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | . | ½ | 1 | 1 | 8 | 2753 | |||||||
| 2. | Woodward, Andy | g | USA | 2608 | ½ | * | . | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | . | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7½ | 2705 | |||||||
| 3. | Maurizzi, MarcAndria | g | FRA | 2611 | . | . | * | ½ | 1 | 1 | . | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7½ | 2718 | |||||||
| 4. | Ivanchuk, Vasyl | g | UKR | 2605 | . | 1 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | . | 1 | . | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2675 | |||||||
| 5. | Assaubayeva, Bibisara | g | KAZ | 2497 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | ½ | . | ½ | 1 | ½ | . | . | 1 | 6 | 2642 | |||||||
| 6. | Yip, Carissa | m | USA | 2466 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | . | ½ | 1 | 1 | . | . | 5 | 2571 | |||||||
| 7. | Oro, Faustino | m | ARG | 2516 | 0 | 0 | . | . | ½ | ½ | * | 0 | . | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2528 | |||||||
| 8. | Warmerdam, Max | g | NED | 2576 | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | . | 0 | 1 | * | ½ | . | ½ | 1 | 0 | . | 4½ | 2515 | |||||||
| 9. | Yuffa, Daniil | g | ESP | 2604 | 0 | 0 | ½ | . | ½ | . | . | ½ | * | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | 4½ | 2506 | |||||||
| 10. | L'Ami, Erwin | g | NED | 2634 | 0 | . | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | 0 | . | 0 | * | 0 | . | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2467 | |||||||
| 11. | Ivic, Velimir | g | SRB | 2638 | . | . | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | * | . | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2461 | |||||||
| 12. | Panesar, Vedant | f | IND | 2406 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | . | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | . | . | * | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2395 | |||||||
| 13. | Lu, Miaoyi | m | CHN | 2431 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | . | . | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | * | . | 3 | 2433 | |||||||
| 14. | Roebers, Eline | m | NED | 2398 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | . | 0 | . | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | . | * | 1 | 2208 | |||||||
| Round 10 (January 28, 2026) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maurizzi, MarcAndria | - Panesar, Vedant | 1-0 | 45 | E28 | Nimzo Indian Saemisch | |
| Ivanchuk, Vasyl | - Woodward, Andy | 1-0 | 37 | D38 | QGD Ragozin | |
| Assaubayeva, Bibisara | - Roebers, Eline | 1-0 | 48 | D02 | Queen's Pawn Game | |
| Yip, Carissa | - Oro, Faustino | ½-½ | 59 | C53 | Giuoco Piano | |
| Yuffa, Daniil | - Suleymanli, Aydin | 0-1 | 23 | D43 | Anti-Meran Gambit | |
| L'Ami, Erwin | - Lu, Miaoyi | 1-0 | 54 | E12 | Queens Indian Petrosian | |
| Ivic, Velimir | - Warmerdam, Max | ½-½ | 131 | A05 | Various | |
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