In Chess, Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa clinched the prestigious Tata Steel Masters 2025 title in a thrilling showdown, defeating reigning World Champion D. Gukesh in a nail-biting tiebreaker last night at Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. This victory makes R. Praggnanandhaa the first Indian since Viswanathan Anand in 2006 to claim the prestigious title.
The 14-player round-robin event ended dramatically, with both Gukesh and Pragg tied at 8.5 points after 13 rounds. Gukesh, unbeaten throughout the tournament, lost his final classical game to Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi, while Pragg was defeated by Vincent Keymer in a long battle.
In the tiebreak, Gukesh won the first of two blitz games and needed only a draw in the second to secure the title. However, Pragg staged a stunning comeback, winning both blitz games to clinch the championship.
