Praggnanandhaa Shines While Gukesh Falls Again in Tata Steel Masters Round 9

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa provided a major bright spot in Round 9 of the Tata Steel Masters , scoring an important victory over compatriot Aravindh Chithambaram . The timely win boosted his campaign, steadied his position in the standings, and kept him within touching distance of the mid-table group as the tournament heads into its decisive phase with only four rounds remaining.

While Praggnanandhaa celebrated success, it was another difficult day for reigning world champion D Gukesh , who went down to Germany’s Matthias Bluebaum . Playing with the white pieces, Gukesh chose a King’s Pawn setup and entered a Bishop’s Opening , a line rarely seen at elite level today. Bluebaum responded confidently, generating active counterplay early and executing an imaginative sequence that left Gukesh’s light-squared bishop trapped . From there, the German converted his advantage with precision, winning decisive material and forcing Gukesh’s resignation. The loss leaves Gukesh stuck on four points and searching for a late surge.

Arjun Erigaisi also could not break through, settling for a draw with American Hans Moke Niemann . Erigaisi, playing White in an English Opening , tried to steer the game into complications, but Niemann’s energetic development neutralized the initiative. With neither side able to create real winning chances, the game ended in a quick repetition, reflecting Erigaisi’s ongoing struggles after a promising start to the event.

At the top of the standings, Nodirbek Abdusattorov maintained his lead after drawing with fellow Uzbek Javokhir Sindarov . Abdusattorov’s steady approach continues to pay dividends, keeping him in command as challengers attempt to close the gap. Sindarov remains firmly in the chasing pack.

The most spectacular game of the round came from Dutch star Jorden van Foreest , who overwhelmed Germany’s Vincent Keymer in just 26 moves. Van Foreest launched a fierce kingside attack from an irregular queen pawn structure, sacrificing material in the centre to rip open the position. Keymer’s king came under relentless pressure and collapsed quickly, a result that propelled van Foreest into joint second place and firmly into title contention.

Elsewhere, Anish Giri and Vladimir Fedoseev shared the point, while Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus defeated Thai Dai Van Nguyen , adding further twists to the middle of the table.

With Abdusattorov still setting the pace and players like van Foreest and Sindarov in close pursuit, the tournament is entering a decisive stretch. For Gukesh and Erigaisi, the remaining rounds are now about resilience and finishing strong, while Praggnanandhaa’s win could mark a turning point in his campaign.