This is going to be a big year for R Praggnanandhaa, and he has made a good start. Overshadowed by D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi for most parts of 2024, he is sharing the lead after Round 5 of the Tata Steel chess tournament in Wijk Aan Zee in the Netherlands. Eight more rounds remain in the event featuring five of the world’s top 10 players, sans No. 1 Magnus Carlsen.
Pragg, the 19-year-old ranked 13th in the January Fide rating list, can expect a re-entry into the top 10 next month if he continues to play the way he has in this competition so far. The Chennai boy has beaten fellow Indians Arjun, Pentala Harikrishna and Luke Leon Mendonca and drawn with the higher-rated, and joint-leader, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, other than sharing a point with Max Warmerdam of the host country.
Mercurial last year when he beat Carlsen, helped India win the Chess Olympiad and also had some indifferent outings, Pragg had risen to No. 7 in the world rankings. “My game is improving, and that’s what matters,” Pragg was quoted as saying by Sportstar last year. “I performed well at Norway Chess, finishing third. There have been some lows in between, but I just need to focus on becoming more consistent.”
To stay consistent will be his challenge in the remainder of the Tata Steel event. When the action resumes on Friday after a rest day (6.50 pm IST), Pragg will face defending champion and World No. 9 Wei Yi. The Chinese hasn’t had the best of starts and is placed seventh with 2.5 points. Pragg also has games remaining against No. 2 Fabiano Caruana, world champion Gukesh, other than formidable opponents like Anish Giri and Vincent Keymer.
Gukesh steady after World Championship high
Gukesh has done well in his first competition after winning the World Championship in December. He began with a fortuitous win against Giri of the Netherlands, played three straight draws including one against Caruana, before beating Keymer in the fifth round. The German was a part of his team of seconds in the World Championship campaign.
With 3.5 points, the 18-year-old is joint-third with Vladimir Fedoseev of Slovenia. This is a significant outing for Gukesh because the pressure of expectations on him has increased after becoming the youngest-ever world champion. His preparations for this event were disrupted due to felicitation functions and award presentations. Gukesh has been steady despite all that so far.
Arjun having horror run, Harikrishna well placed
One of the wave-makers in world chess last year, Arjun has begun 2025 in the worst possible manner. Having risen to No. 4 in the rankings and become the 15th player in history cross the 2800 mark in Elo ratings, he is winless in Wijk Aan Zee and placed at the bottom of the 14-player field with Mendonca. Both are on one point.
Arjun’s rating is certain to fall below 2800 after three defeats and two draws. He had some poor games and let opportunities slip in some others. However, after the rest day, there is every possibility of him coming back stronger and salvaging something from the last eight rounds. There is no doubt that he has the capability to do that.
The veteran in the Indian quintet, Harikrishna is having a decent outing. He is fifth with three points following two wins and draws apiece after the opening-round defeat against Pragg. The 38-year-old is not always in headlines amid the surge from the youth brigade, but he remains a top player ranked 36th in the world. Part of the Olympiad team and Gukesh’s team of seconds, he can upset equations.
Also Read: Pragg shares lead, Gukesh just behind after Round 3 of Tata Steel chess