The Tata Chess Masters reached a dramatic conclusion on Sunday as R Praggnanandhaa emerged victorious against D Gukesh in a nail-biting finish. Both contenders stumbled in Round 13, with Gukesh suffering a loss to India’s No. 2 Arjun Erigaisi, while Praggnanandhaa was defeated by Vincent Keymer—who had assisted Gukesh during last year’s World Championship.
Tiebreak Drama Unfolds
With both players tied at the top of the leaderboard, the title was decided through a blitz playoff. Gukesh won the first game, but Praggnanandhaa staged an incredible comeback, claiming victory in the next two matches to secure the championship.
Viswanathan Anand’s Reaction and Playful Dig at Praggnanandhaa
Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand took to social media to commend Praggnanandhaa on his triumph.
“Indian chess winter at Wijk! Congratulations to @rpraggnachess on winning his first @tatasteelchess event in Wijk aan Zee. The last day was not typical at all of his play. He played many brilliant games, but yesterday he got outplayed, then tenaciously defended a lost position. The tragedy for him was after getting close to the desired goal of a draw he blundered again. @DGukesh had lost a while ago to Arjun, so we were in the unusual situation of both title contenders losing their games and going to the tiebreak. @WacaChess”, Anand wrote.
He further praised Praggnanandhaa’s resilience in the playoff round:
“In the tiebreak, @rpraggnachess lost the first game before winning the next two to become the 2025 champion. Given what he had been through, just hanging in there would have been an unimaginable effort.”
“Mere pass panch hai .. IYKYK!”
Praise for Gukesh’s Performance
Despite his loss in the tiebreaker, Gukesh received praise from Anand for his strong performance throughout the tournament.
“@DGukesh also ended his tournament with a loss which was not representative of his play in the event and for the second year in a row, he lost the tiebreak. Nonetheless, this performance right after winning the world title confirms he is as hungry as ever!@WacaChess @tatasteelchess”.
Missed Opportunity for the World Champion
Gukesh, who had been leading the tournament at one stage, will have regrets over his Round 13 loss to Arjun Erigaisi, a one-sided game that cost him the title. Tie-breakers have not been Gukesh’s strong suit, and Sunday’s final proved to be another tough lesson for the reigning world champion.