File photo of R Praggnanandhaa.© FIDE
Grandmaster R Praggnanadhaa played a tight draw with world champion D Gukesh in the eighth round of the Tata Steel Masters at Wijk Aan Zee in Netherlands. Praggnanadhaa, who played the white side of the defense for Berlin, played a slightly advantageous position visually, but Gwesh was always on his toes to defend. In the early middle game, Gwesh sacrificed a bid to get a counter fielder, and although Praggnanadhaa tried to take advantage, the game was always closer to a draw.
When Queens were traded, players reached an Endgame of the Rock and Minor piece where Gukesh found the best resources and even obtained the outside pawn. With Praggnanadhaa having the only mission against the pawn, the outcome of the game was never in doubt. The game was drawn after 33 moves.
With the draw, Praggananandhaa and Gukesh are likely to continue to share the 5.5-point lead as another overnight leader Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan was also set to share the point with Vladimir Veledev of Slovenia.
Among other Indians in the fray, Grandmaster P Harirkishna played to a draw with top Dutchman Anish Giri. Ruy Lopez’s Arkhengelsk variation gave Black Giri an easy par in the early mid-game and the pieces were exchanged in a pile.
Players reached the endgame and Pawns endge at exactly the level where the draw was a fair result.
Harikrishna moved to four points from a possible eight, while Anish took his tally to 3.5 after his seventh draw in a row.
Arjun Irejaesi equalized with Aleksi Sarana of Serbia, while Leon Luuk Mendonca also got the same scoreline against Jordan Vane ahead of the Netherlands. Arjun on two points is half a point behind Mendonca.
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