88th Tata Steel 2026 R9: Praggnanandhaa scores his first win

by Shahid Ahmed - 28/01/2026

The World Champion, D Gukesh suffered his third loss in Round 9 of 88th Tata Steel Masters 2026. This was against the World Championship Candidate, Matthias Bluebaum (GER). It was also Gukesh's third loss in the last four games. R Praggnanandhaa scored his first win of the event against compatriot, Aravindh Chithambaram. Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) maintains his sole lead 6/9, after a draw against his 44th Olympiad Gold medal winning teammate and FIDE World Cup 2025 winner, Javokhir Sindarov (UZB). Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (TUR) and Jorden van Foreest (NED) won their respective games against Thai Dai Van Nguyen (CZE) and Vincent Keymer (GER) to move to 5.5/9 each. Round 10 starts today at 2 p.m. local time, 6:30 p.m. IST for both Masters and Challengers section. Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess

Challengers: Vedant Panesar misses against Vasyl Ivanchuk

Nodirbek Abdusattorov has three pursuers - Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, Javokhir Sindarov and Jorden van Foreest. In the Challengers, GM Andy Woodward (USA) emerged sole leader 7.5/9. after his win over GM Daniil Yuffa (ESP). GM Max Warmerdam (NED) defeated one of the coleaders, GM Marc` Andria Maurizzi (FRA). GM Aydin Suleymanli (AZE) scored a win over IM Faustino Oro (ARG) to move to 7/9, a half point behind Woodward. FM Vedant Panesar missed a great opportunity to win against the legend, GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (UKR).

14-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (TUR) scored his third win in his last four games | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess

Sindarov - Abdusattorov: 0.5-0.5

The All-Uzbek clash between the 44th Olympiad Gold medalist teammates - Javokhir Sindarov (2726) and Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2751) ended in a draw. Out of the 16 Classical rated games they have played against each other, Sindarov won five, Abdusattorov two and the remaining nine ended in draws. Their 17th Classical game also ended undecisively.

Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) - Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess

Jorden - Keymer: 1-0

Jorden van Foreest (NED, 2703) and Vincent Keymer (GER, 2776) have played five Classical rated games against each other. Jorden won one and the remaning four ended in draws. Jorden got a favorable position out of the opening against the World no.4.

Position after 14...f6

Black's position already looked uncomfortable. 14...f6?? did not help his case 15.Nxc4! dxc4 16.d5! exd5 17.Qe3+ Kf8 18.Rxd5 the position is in Jorden's wheelhouse. So he converted his advantage into a win with ease.

Jorden analyzes his win | Video: Tata Steel Chess Tournament

Jorden van Foreest (NED) defeated Vincent Keymer (GER) to move to 5.5/9 | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess

Praggnanandhaa - Aravindh: 1-0

R Praggnanandhaa (2758) and Aravindh Chithambaram (2700) have played six Classical rated games against each other. All of them ended in draws. Praggnanandhaa was expecting their seventh battle to also end in a draw.

Interview with R Praggnanandhaa | Video: Tata Steel Chess Tournament

R Praggnanandhaa scored his first win of the event against Aravindh Chithambaram | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess

Thai Dai Van - Yagiz: 0-1

The strongest 14-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (TUR, 2658) scored another impressive win, this time against the Czech Republic no.1, Thai Dai Van Nguyen (2656).

Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (TUR) analyzes his win over Thai Dai Van Nguyen (CZE) | Video: Tata Steel Chess Tournament

Thai Dai Van Nguyen (CZE) - Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (TUR): 0-1 | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess

Gukesh - Bluebaum: 0.5-0.5

The World Champion, D Gukesh (2754) faced Matthias Bluebaum (GER, 2679) only once almost seven years ago. It had ended in a draw. This time Gukesh did not play well and he was punished by his opponent for that.

Matthias Bluebaum analyzes his win over the World Champion, D Gukesh | Video: Tata Steel Chess Tournament

Matthias Bluebaum (GER) handed the World Champion, D Gukesh his third loss of the event | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess Tournament

Vedant - Ivanchuk

Position after 30...Nd7

FM Vedant Panesar (2406) had a decisive advantage against the legend, former World Rapid and Blitz champion, GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (UKR, 2605) for the majority of the game. In the entire game, he had quite possibly the best chance in the above position. Find out what it is.

Challengers: FM Vedant Panesar missed a great opportunity against the legend - GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (UKR) | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess

Interview with GM Andy Woodward (USA) | Video: Tata Steel Chess Tournament

Round 9 in progress | Photo: Lennart Ootes / Tata Steel Chess

Watch Live stream

Replay Round 9 live commentary by IM Sagar Shah, Amruta Mokal and IM Soumya Swaminathan | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Round 9 Masters games

Replay Round 9 Challengers games

Masters Round 9 results

Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	5	2726	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	½ - ½	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	2751	14
2	6	2703	GM	Van Foreest, Jorden	1 - 0	GM	Keymer, Vincent	2776	4
3	7	2775	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	½ - ½	GM	Niemann, Hans Moke	2725	3
4	8	2758	GM	Praggnanandhaa, R	1 - 0	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	2700	2
5	9	2656	GM	Nguyen, Thai Dai Van	0 - 1	GM	Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan	2658	1
6	10	2754	GM	Gukesh, D	0 - 1	GM	Bluebaum, Matthias	2679	13
7	11	2760	GM	Giri, Anish	½ - ½	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	2705	12

Details

Standings after Round 9

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	TB1
1	14	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	UZB	2751	6
2	1	GM	Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan	TUR	2658	5,5
	5	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	UZB	2726	5,5
	6	GM	Van Foreest, Jorden	NED	2703	5,5
5	3	GM	Niemann, Hans Moke	USA	2725	5
	13	GM	Bluebaum, Matthias	GER	2679	5
7	11	GM	Giri, Anish	NED	2760	4,5
	12	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	SLO	2705	4,5
9	4	GM	Keymer, Vincent	GER	2776	4
	7	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	IND	2775	4
	8	GM	Praggnanandhaa, R	IND	2758	4
	10	GM	Gukesh, D	IND	2754	4
13	9	GM	Nguyen, Thai Dai Van	CZE	2656	3
14	2	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	IND	2700	2,5

Details

Round 10 pairings

Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	14	2751	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek		GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	2705	12
2	13	2679	GM	Bluebaum, Matthias		GM	Giri, Anish	2760	11
3	1	2658	GM	Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan		GM	Gukesh, D	2754	10
4	2	2700	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.		GM	Nguyen, Thai Dai Van	2656	9
5	3	2725	GM	Niemann, Hans Moke		GM	Praggnanandhaa, R	2758	8
6	4	2776	GM	Keymer, Vincent		GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	2775	7
7	5	2726	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir		GM	Van Foreest, Jorden	2703	6

Details

Challengers Round 9 results

Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	5	2497	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	½ - ½	IM	Yip, Carissa	2466	14
2	6	2398	IM	Roebers, Eline	0 - 1	GM	L'ami, Erwin	2634	4
3	7	2431	IM	Lu, Miaoyi	1 - 0	GM	Ivic, Velimir	2638	3
4	8	2576	GM	Warmerdam, Max	1 - 0	GM	Maurizzi, Marcandria	2611	2
5	9	2406	FM	Panesar, Vedant	½ - ½	GM	Ivanchuk, Vasyl	2605	1
6	10	2608	GM	Woodward, Andy	1 - 0	GM	Yuffa, Daniil	2604	13
7	11	2628	GM	Suleymanli, Aydin	1 - 0	IM	Oro, Faustino	2516	12

Details

Standings after Round 8

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	TB1
1	10	GM	Woodward, Andy	USA	2608	7,5
2	11	GM	Suleymanli, Aydin	AZE	2628	7
3	2	GM	Maurizzi, Marcandria	FRA	2611	6,5
4	1	GM	Ivanchuk, Vasyl	UKR	2605	6
5	5	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	KAZ	2497	5
6	12	IM	Oro, Faustino	ARG	2516	4,5
	13	GM	Yuffa, Daniil	ESP	2604	4,5
	14	IM	Yip, Carissa	USA	2466	4,5
9	8	GM	Warmerdam, Max	NED	2576	4
10	3	GM	Ivic, Velimir	SRB	2638	3,5
11	4	GM	L'ami, Erwin	NED	2634	3
	7	IM	Lu, Miaoyi	CHN	2431	3
	9	FM	Panesar, Vedant	IND	2406	3
14	6	IM	Roebers, Eline	NED	2398	1

Details

Round 9 pairings

Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	14	2466	IM	Yip, Carissa		IM	Oro, Faustino	2516	12
2	13	2604	GM	Yuffa, Daniil		GM	Suleymanli, Aydin	2628	11
3	1	2605	GM	Ivanchuk, Vasyl		GM	Woodward, Andy	2608	10
4	2	2611	GM	Maurizzi, Marcandria		FM	Panesar, Vedant	2406	9
5	3	2638	GM	Ivic, Velimir		GM	Warmerdam, Max	2576	8
6	4	2634	GM	L'ami, Erwin		IM	Lu, Miaoyi	2431	7
7	5	2497	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara		IM	Roebers, Eline	2398	6