Abdusattorov leads the Tata Steel Masters 4.5/6 after a horrendous blunder by Gukesh

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88th Tata Steel 2026 (6)

Abdusattorov leads the Tata Steel Masters 4.5/6 after a horrendous blunder by Gukesh

Mark Crowther - Friday 23rd January 2026

Gukesh and Abdusattorov at the start of their game. Photo © Michiel Abeln

Gukesh and Abdusattorov at the start of their game. Photo © Michiel Abeln | https://theweekinchess.com

Nodirbek Abdusattorov took the lead of the Tata Steel Masters alone after defeating Gukesh following a terrible one move blunder from the Indian, meanwhile joint leader Hans Moke Niemann lost against Vincent Keymer. In the only other decisive game Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus beat Jorden Van Foreest in a game settled near first time control, both players missed big ideas in spite of not being in serious time trouble.

The other games were drawn. Matthias Bluebaum was pretty upset with himself that he didn't convert winning chances against Arjun Erigaisi. Aravindh Chithambaram was dead lost against Javokhir Sindarov who blew the win with his final move before time control with only a few seconds left. Anish Giri had a small edge against Thai Dai Van Nguyen. Vladimir Fedoseev against Praggnanandhaa was a fairly dull draw.

In the Challengers Andy Woodward leads on 5/6 after losing his first round game he's now won 5 in a row including today's long grind in a pretty equal Queen and Pawn endgame against Carissa Yip which ended with a win in 131 moves, problems only started on move 128 for Yip. Joint leader Faustino Oro had a less good day losing his first game to Max Warmerdam.

Round 6 Standings: 1st Abdusattorov 4.5pts, 2nd Sindarov 4pts, 3rd= Niemann, Keymer, Fedoseev 3.5pts, 6th= Erdogmus, Van Foreest, Erigaisi, Gukesh, Bluebaum 3pts, 11th= Aravindh, Praggnanandhaa, Nguyen, Giri 2pts.

Round 7 Pairings Saturday 24th Jan 1pm: Keymer-Abdusattorov, Sindarov-Niemann, Van Foreest-Aravindh, Erigaisi-Erdogmus, Praggnanandhaa-Bluebaum, Nguyen-Fedoseev and Gukesh-Giri.

Round 6 Summary

Tata Steel Round 6 Gukesh realises he's just blundered horribly Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Gukesh realises he's just blundered horribly Tata Steel Round 6 Photo © Tata Steel Video

Nodirbek Abdusattorov's win against Gukesh was looking to finish in a solid draw in a Ruy Lopez when Gukesh had a complete brain fart and dropped his entire position with 36.Rg5?? dropping f6 and his entire position. Abdusattorov was sympathetic and Gukesh distraught.

Tata Steel Round 6 Niemann-Keymer Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Niemann-Keymer Tata Steel Round 6 Photo © Michiel Abeln

Hans Moke Niemann was gradually outplayed by Vincent Keymer in a very difficult game. There was no serious time trouble involved but Niemann's 38.f4? 39.Rxf4?! and 40.e5?! led to a very bad position and 42.d6? settled things in the German's favour.

Tata Steel Round 6 Erdogmus-Van Foreest Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Erdogmus-Van Foreest Tata Steel Round 6 Photo © Michiel Abeln

Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus got back to 50% with a win against Jorden Van Foreest but this really wasn't an impressive game from either. First of all 37...Kf7 38.Rxg7+! Kxg7 39.Bd4+ winning really isn't even a tactic, it's just something both players should spot. It took a second error 39...Ke7? to cost Van Foreest the game and even then Erdogmus didn't do things in the most precise way. Time trouble was not a real factor.

Tata Steel Round 6 Bluebaum-Erigaisi Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Bluebaum-Erigaisi Tata Steel Round 6 Photo © Michiel Abeln

Matthias Bluebaum was completely winning against Arjun Erigaisi, 23...g4?! was a miscalculation from Erigaisi that soon led to a very bad position, after 29...Bh5? he was definitely lost. 33.Rxg6+ would have won pretty immediately for Bluebaum 34...Bg7? returned the favour, but 37.Qg5? (37.Qe3 or 37.Nc7 win) eventually only resulted in a draw.

Tata Steel Round 6 Aravindh-Sindarov Photo © Michiel Abeln.

Aravindh-Sindarov Tata Steel Round 6 Photo © Michiel Abeln

Javokhir Sindarov was completely winning against the struggling Chithambaram Vr. Aravindh, 25.Qh5? was the start of the problems, 27.Rxc4?! led to a lost position, 36...Rg6? was suddenly equal again, 38.cxd5 was bad for white again and 39.Qe4 losing but then with seconds left 40.a2? allowed perpetual check and a draw.

Anish Giri draw Thai Dai Van Nguyen and Vladimir Fedoseev draw Praggnanandhaa were regulation draws. Notes to all of the games below.

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	.	1	.	.	½	.	1	1	4½	2901
2.	Sindarov, Javokhir	g	UZB	2726	.	*	½	.	.	1	1	½	.	.	½	½	.	.	4	2834
3.	Fedoseev, Vladimir	g	SLO	2705	.	½	*	0	1	.	.	.	½	1	.	.	½	.	3½	2800
4.	Niemann, Hans Moke	g	USA	2725	½	.	1	*	0	½	½	.	.	.	1	.	.	.	3½	2768
5.	Keymer, Vincent	g	GER	2776	.	.	0	1	*	½	0	.	.	.	1	1	.	.	3½	2761
6.	Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan	g	TUR	2658	½	0	.	½	½	*	.	.	1	.	½	.	.	.	3	2730
7.	Bluebaum, Matthias	g	GER	2679	.	0	.	½	1	.	*	.	½	½	½	.	.	.	3	2734
8.	Gukesh, D	g	IND	2754	0	½	.	.	.	.	.	*	½	½	.	.	½	1	3	2728
9.	Van Foreest, Jorden	g	NED	2703	.	.	½	.	.	0	½	½	*	.	.	1	.	½	3	2702
10.	Erigaisi, Arjun	g	IND	2775	.	.	0	.	.	.	½	½	.	*	.	½	1	½	3	2718
11.	Aravindh, Chithambaram VR.	g	IND	2700	½	½	.	0	0	½	½	.	.	.	*	.	.	.	2	2594
12.	Giri, Anish	g	NED	2760	.	½	.	.	0	.	.	.	0	½	.	*	½	½	2	2607
13.	Praggnanandhaa, R	g	IND	2758	0	.	½	.	.	.	.	½	.	0	.	½	*	½	2	2608
14.	Nguyen, Thai Dai Van	g	CZE	2656	0	.	.	.	.	.	.	0	½	½	.	½	½	*	2	2625

Round 6 (January 23, 2026)
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	- Gukesh, D	1-0	37	C85	Ruy Lopez Steenwijker Defence
Fedoseev, Vladimir	- Praggnanandhaa, R	½-½	122	D37	QGD 5.Bf4
Niemann, Hans Moke	- Keymer, Vincent	0-1	64	C50	Giuoco Piano
Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan	- Van Foreest, Jorden	1-0	46	C46	Four Knights
Bluebaum, Matthias	- Erigaisi, Arjun	½-½	58	A41	Modern Defence
Aravindh, Chithambaram VR.	- Sindarov, Javokhir	½-½	41	D43	Anti-Meran Gambit
Giri, Anish	- Nguyen, Thai Dai Van	½-½	52	D30	Queen's Gambit (without Nc3)

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	*	.	.	.	.	.	1	0	1	.	1	.	1	1	5	2735
2.	Maurizzi, MarcAndria	g	FRA	2611	.	*	.	.	½	½	1	1	.	1	.	½	.	.	4½	2767
3.	Suleymanli, Aydin	g	AZE	2628	.	.	*	.	.	.	.	½	½	.	1	1	½	1	4½	2683
4.	Oro, Faustino	m	ARG	2516	.	.	.	*	.	.	.	½	0	½	1	1	.	1	4	2654
5.	Ivanchuk, Vasyl	g	UKR	2605	.	½	.	.	*	.	½	½	.	1	.	0	.	1	3½	2597
6.	Yuffa, Daniil	g	ESP	2604	.	½	.	.	.	*	.	½	.	½	1	1	.	0	3½	2591
7.	Yip, Carissa	m	USA	2466	0	0	.	.	½	.	*	.	1	1	.	.	1	.	3½	2631
8.	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	g	KAZ	2497	1	0	½	½	½	½	.	*	.	.	.	.	.	.	3	2595
9.	Warmerdam, Max	g	NED	2576	0	.	½	1	.	.	0	.	*	.	0	.	1	.	2½	2452
10.	Ivic, Velimir	g	SRB	2638	.	0	.	½	0	½	0	.	.	*	.	1	.	.	2	2447
11.	Lu, Miaoyi	m	CHN	2431	0	.	0	0	.	0	.	.	1	.	*	.	1	.	2	2431
12.	L'Ami, Erwin	g	NED	2634	.	½	0	0	1	0	.	.	.	0	.	*	.	.	1½	2407
13.	Panesar, Vedant	f	IND	2406	0	.	½	.	.	.	0	.	0	.	0	.	*	1	1½	2324
14.	Roebers, Eline	m	NED	2398	0	.	0	0	0	1	.	.	.	.	.	.	0	*	1	2288

Round 6 (January 23, 2026)
Maurizzi, MarcAndria	- Assaubayeva, Bibisara	1-0	42	B90	Sicilian Najdorf Variation
Suleymanli, Aydin	- Panesar, Vedant	½-½	42	E06	Catalan
Oro, Faustino	- Warmerdam, Max	0-1	65	E73	King's Indian Averbakh
Ivanchuk, Vasyl	- Roebers, Eline	1-0	30	C11	French Defence
Yuffa, Daniil	- Lu, Miaoyi	1-0	68	A13	Reti Opening
Yip, Carissa	- Woodward, Andy	0-1	131	C78	Ruy Lopez Moeller Defence
Ivic, Velimir	- L'Ami, Erwin	1-0	32	D12	Slav Defence

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