TWIC is 31. First issue 17th September 1994.88th Tata Steel 2026 (7)
Abdusattorov leads the Tata Steel Masters by a point after beating Keymer in Round 7
Mark Crowther - Sunday 25th January 2026
Abdusattorov beat Keymer with the black pieces in Round 7. Photo © Michiel Abeln | https://theweekinchess.com
Nodirbek Abdusattorov extended his lead of the Tata Steel Masters after defeating Vincent Keymer in Round 7 to move to 5.5/7 a point clear of fellow countryman Javokhir Sindarov who drew with Hans Moke Niemann.
Anish Giri beat World Champion Gukesh who was probably still unstable after his shocking Round 6 blunder. Teenager Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus moved into a share of third with an impressive win against Arjun Erigaisi. Thai Dai Van Nguyen drew with Vladimir Fedoseev and Praggnanandhaa drew a wild game with Matthias Bluebaum.
MarcAndria Maurizzi has joined Andy Woodward in the lead with 5.5/7 after his five game winning run came to an end with a draw against third placed Aydin Suleymanli. Looking like these three may be the ones to fight for first although Vasyl Ivanchuk and Faustino Oro lie a further half point back.
My thanks to Michiel Abeln for the photos and short notes to five of the games, I've added extra notes using Stockfish.
Round 7 Standings: 1st Abdusattorov 5.5pts, 2nd Sindarov 4.5pts 3rd= Erdogmus, Niemann, Van Foreest, Fedoseev 4pts, 7th= Keymer, Bluebaum 3.5pts, 9th= Erigaisi, Gukesh, Giri 3pts, 12th= Praggnanandhaa, Nguyen 2.5pts, 14th= Aravindh 2pts.
Round 8 pairings Sunday 1pm: Abdusattorov-Giri, Fedoseev-Gukesh, Bluebaum-Nguyen, Erdogmus-Praggnanandhaa, Aravindh-Erigaisi, Niemann-Van Foreest, Keymer-Sindarov.
Round 7 Summary
Vincent Keymer played sharply against Nodirbek Abdusattorov but he should have acceded to a draw by repetition on move 19. Instead after 19.Ba5? e5! Keymer was already worse and after 20.Bd3?! close to lost, black kept his advantage even through some minor ups and downs in the evaluation but 27.e4?! was another mistake and after 28.Bb4+ white was lost and whilst he hung on to move 41 the game was effectively settled.
Tata Steel Round 7 Praggnanandhaa-Bluebaum Photo © Michiel Abeln
Praggnanandhaa is still trying to get his tournament on track, he played very sharply against Matthias Bluebaum and after 27...Qd8?! he was getting somewhere at least but after 29.Be2 this wild position returned to equality and was drawn.
Tata Steel Round 7 Gukesh-Giri Photo © Michiel Abeln
Gukesh may have his trials and tribulations and be suffering as World Champion, but no-one can accuse him of being a coward, he ratcheted up the tension against Anish Giri with 19.e3 but his 22.Qc4?! left him worse, 24.Qb5?! was another error and he finally blundered his position away with the terrible 31.Qd6? (31.Qd5 and the game continues) and Giri went on to win his first game and join Gukesh on 3/7.
Tata Steel Round 7 Niemann-Sindarov Photo © Michiel Abeln
Javokhir Sindarov against Hans Moke Niemann was a very interesting fight in a Ruy Lopez, Sindarov had a small edge for most of the early part of the game, not much at all, but eventually Niemann had two bishops vs two knights in an endgame, a small edge, nothing too much as the pawn structures were compact. After 72...Bxd2 the position was just equal and the game was soon drawn.
Tata Steel Round 7 Van Foreest-Aravindh Photo © Michiel Abeln
Jorden Van Foreest ground out a win against Chithambaram Aravindh whose steady rise at the age of 26 had been a heart-warming story, but here he's been exposed a bit, suffering in round after round, Chithambaram played the King's Indian, black expects to be a bit worse theoretically in return for chances but if those chances don't arrive you continue to be worse and that's what happened today. Just a long game of suffering ending on move 50 with a loss.
Tata Steel Round 7 Erigaisi-Erdogmus Photo © Michiel Abeln
Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus emerged the victor against Arjun Erigaisi in a really quite impressive game by both players. An endgame imbalance of Rook vs Minor Piece and a Pawn arrived quite early and after many adventures they reached first time control with everything in the balance, black was better but not winning. 42.Re1? was only refuted by one move 42...Kd7? and soon black won the pawn race, a really interesting battle.
Thai Dai Van Nguyen is another young player who has had a torrid time so far, today against Vladimir Fedoseev he had the better of it but 39...Rc3? cost him his advantage and the game was drawn.
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 | 1 | . | . | 1 | 1 | ½ | 5½ | 2948 | |||||||
| 2. | Sindarov, Javokhir | g | UZB | 2726 | . | * | ½ | 1 | ½ | . | 1 | . | ½ | ½ | . | . | . | ½ | 4½ | 2813 | |||||||
| 3. | Niemann, Hans Moke | g | USA | 2725 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | . | ½ | 0 | . | . | . | . | . | 1 | 4 | 2763 | |||||||
| 4. | Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan | g | TUR | 2658 | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | . | 1 | . | ½ | . | . | 1 | . | . | ½ | 4 | 2786 | |||||||
| 5. | Fedoseev, Vladimir | g | SLO | 2705 | . | ½ | 0 | . | * | ½ | . | 1 | . | . | 1 | ½ | ½ | . | 4 | 2781 | |||||||
| 6. | Van Foreest, Jorden | g | NED | 2703 | . | . | . | 0 | ½ | * | ½ | . | ½ | 1 | . | ½ | . | 1 | 4 | 2751 | |||||||
| 7. | Bluebaum, Matthias | g | GER | 2679 | . | 0 | ½ | . | . | ½ | * | 1 | . | . | ½ | . | ½ | ½ | 3½ | 2737 | |||||||
| 8. | Keymer, Vincent | g | GER | 2776 | 0 | . | 1 | ½ | 0 | . | 0 | * | . | 1 | . | . | . | 1 | 3½ | 2711 | |||||||
| 9. | Gukesh, D | g | IND | 2754 | 0 | ½ | . | . | . | ½ | . | . | * | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | . | 3 | 2682 | |||||||
| 10. | Giri, Anish | g | NED | 2760 | . | ½ | . | . | . | 0 | . | 0 | 1 | * | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | 3 | 2685 | |||||||
| 11. | Erigaisi, Arjun | g | IND | 2775 | . | . | . | 0 | 0 | . | ½ | . | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | 1 | . | 3 | 2660 | |||||||
| 12. | Nguyen, Thai Dai Van | g | CZE | 2656 | 0 | . | . | . | ½ | ½ | . | . | 0 | ½ | ½ | * | ½ | . | 2½ | 2641 | |||||||
| 13. | Praggnanandhaa, R | g | IND | 2758 | 0 | . | . | . | ½ | . | ½ | . | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | * | . | 2½ | 2623 | |||||||
| 14. | Aravindh, Chithambaram VR. | g | IND | 2700 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | . | 0 | ½ | 0 | . | . | . | . | . | * | 2 | 2558 | |||||||
| Round 7 (January 24, 2026) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sindarov, Javokhir | - Niemann, Hans Moke | ½-½ | 84 | C88 | Ruy Lopez Closed | |
| Van Foreest, Jorden | - Aravindh, Chithambaram VR. | 1-0 | 50 | E94 | King's Indian Classical | |
| Keymer, Vincent | - Abdusattorov, Nodirbek | 0-1 | 41 | D45 | Anti-Meran Variations | |
| Gukesh, D | - Giri, Anish | 0-1 | 37 | A29 | English Four Knights | |
| Erigaisi, Arjun | - Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan | 0-1 | 52 | A20 | English Opening | |
| Nguyen, Thai Dai Van | - Fedoseev, Vladimir | ½-½ | 64 | D38 | QGD Ragozin | |
| Praggnanandhaa, R | - Bluebaum, Matthias | ½-½ | 33 | 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. | Maurizzi, MarcAndria | g | FRA | 2611 | * | . | . | ½ | . | ½ | 1 | 1 | . | 1 | ½ | . | . | 1 | 5½ | 2778 | |||||||
| 2. | Woodward, Andy | g | USA | 2608 | . | * | ½ | . | . | . | 1 | 0 | 1 | . | . | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5½ | 2716 | |||||||
| 3. | Suleymanli, Aydin | g | AZE | 2628 | . | ½ | * | . | . | . | . | ½ | ½ | . | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2665 | |||||||
| 4. | Ivanchuk, Vasyl | g | UKR | 2605 | ½ | . | . | * | . | . | ½ | ½ | . | 1 | 0 | . | 1 | 1 | 4½ | 2627 | |||||||
| 5. | Oro, Faustino | m | ARG | 2516 | . | . | . | . | * | . | . | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 4½ | 2613 | |||||||
| 6. | Yuffa, Daniil | g | ESP | 2604 | ½ | . | . | . | . | * | . | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | . | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2590 | |||||||
| 7. | Yip, Carissa | m | USA | 2466 | 0 | 0 | . | ½ | . | . | * | . | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | . | . | 4 | 2632 | |||||||
| 8. | Assaubayeva, Bibisara | g | KAZ | 2497 | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | . | * | . | ½ | . | . | . | . | 3½ | 2601 | |||||||
| 9. | Warmerdam, Max | g | NED | 2576 | . | 0 | ½ | . | 1 | ½ | 0 | . | * | . | . | 1 | 0 | . | 3 | 2472 | |||||||
| 10. | Ivic, Velimir | g | SRB | 2638 | 0 | . | . | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | . | * | 1 | . | . | . | 2½ | 2459 | |||||||
| 11. | L'Ami, Erwin | g | NED | 2634 | ½ | . | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ½ | . | . | 0 | * | . | . | . | 2 | 2423 | |||||||
| 12. | Panesar, Vedant | f | IND | 2406 | . | 0 | ½ | . | ½ | . | 0 | . | 0 | . | . | * | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2359 | |||||||
| 13. | Lu, Miaoyi | m | CHN | 2431 | . | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | . | . | 1 | . | . | 1 | * | . | 2 | 2405 | |||||||
| 14. | Roebers, Eline | m | NED | 2398 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | . | . | . | . | . | 0 | . | * | 1 | 2259 | |||||||
| Round 7 (January 24, 2026) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodward, Andy | - Suleymanli, Aydin | ½-½ | 33 | E01 | Catalan | |
| Assaubayeva, Bibisara | - Ivic, Velimir | ½-½ | 29 | E12 | Queens Indian Petrosian | |
| Warmerdam, Max | - Yuffa, Daniil | ½-½ | 67 | E43 | Nimzo Indian Rubinstein | |
| L'Ami, Erwin | - Yip, Carissa | ½-½ | 40 | E11 | Bogo Indian Defence | |
| Panesar, Vedant | - Oro, Faustino | ½-½ | 40 | B90 | Sicilian Najdorf Variation | |
| Lu, Miaoyi | - Ivanchuk, Vasyl | 0-1 | 58 | B23 | Sicilian Closed | |
| Roebers, Eline | - Maurizzi, MarcAndria | 0-1 | 46 | B12 | Caro Kann Advanced | |
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