Sindarov joins Abdusattorov in the lead @ Wijk aan Zee

FIDE World Cup winner GM Javokhir Sindarov joined fellow Uzbek GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov on top of the table with 7.0 points after the eleventh round of the 88th TATA Steel Masters Chess tournament 2026 at the traditional De Moriaan Community Centre, Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. The leaders were closely followed by GMs Hans Moke Niemann, Matthias Bluebaum & Jorden van Foreest at 6.5 points. In the Challengers section, American prodigy GM Andy Woodward got back into slender lead with an 8.5/11 score. 

In the game of the day, 20-yeaer-old Uzbek GM Javokhir Sindarov upped the ante bringing up a fine win against Indian GM Erigaisi Arjun. The younger of the two Grandmasters came out better in a middle game duel that rose out of Semi-Slav Defense. With deft maneuvering of his queen, rook and knight, Sindarov gradually got the better of the Indian, sewing up the game in 66 moves. With four losses and a lone win against fellow Indian GM Praggnanandhaa, the world rapid & blitz bronze medalist has lot of ground to recover. On the other hand, the crucial win propels Sindarov to the top of the table along with fellow Uzbek star GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov and the “Wimbledon of Chess” is likely to go into a dead-heat with three other Grandmasters close behind.  

The English Opening game saw both GMs Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Vincent Keymer in a great mood to fight. The German has thus far has made just two draws, with nine of his games ending in either a win or loss indicating his fighting qualities. And the duel with the Indian maestero was no different with Pragg going in for an early kill. Sacrificing his minor piece the FIDE Circuit winner snared the black king into the open. But Keymer was upto to the task and handled the dangerous situation like an adept master. Avoiding repetition, the German marshalled his pieces with great felicity. When the smoke cleared white had two rooks against black’s rook and two bishops. Better positon along with a fine material tilt saw Keymer snatching the win after 63 moves.  

Elsewhere, FIDE Grand Swiss winner GM Anish Giri swept past 14-year-old Turkish prodigy GM Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş, while American GM Hans Moke Niemann grounded an overly ambitious Czech GM Nguyen Thai Dai Van moving into joint third position. Games between GMs Jorden van Foreest vs Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Vladimir Fedoseev vs Matthias Bluebaum ended on an even note. With just two rounds remaining, all will hinge on the results of the top of the table Grandmasters, who’d be giving every ounce of their energy and preparation to make it work.

In a Queen’s Gambit Declined game it was the world champion Gukesh Dommaraju who had the upper hand for most part against the Prague Masters winner GM Aravindh Chithambaram. But Aravindh who has been living dangerously right though the whole event, escaped for one another time when Gukesh’s queen and rook combo looked like wrapping up the game. The ensuing bishop and pawn ending saw a frustrated Gukesh giving up his final piece forcing a draw after the 68th move. With two rounds to go and 50% score the world champion would now have to play for pride and precious ELOs.

The 12th and penultimate round starts by Saturday, 31st January at 8 AM ET/ 2 PM CET / 6:30 PM IST.

Pairings (Round 12): Abdusattorov vs Bluebaum, Erdogmus vs Fedoseev, Aravindh vs Giri, Niemann vs Gukesh, Keymer vs Nguyen, Sindarov vs Praggnanandhaa, van Foreest vs Erigaisi.

Results (Masters Round 11): van Foreest (6.5) drew with Abdusattorov (7.0), Erigaisi (4.0) lost to Sindarov (7.0), Praggnanandhaa (4.5) lost to Keymer (6.0), Nguyen (3.0) lost to Niemann (6.5), Gukesh (5.5) drew with Aravindh (4.0), Giri (5.5) beat Erdogmus (5.5), Fedoseev (5.5) drew with Bluebaum (6.5).

Results (Challengers Round 11): Roebers (1.0) lost to Yip (6.0), Miaoyi (3.5) drew with Assaubayeva (6.5), Warmerdam (5.0) drew with L’Ami (4.5), Panesar (3.5) drew with Ivic (4.5), Woodward (8.5) beat Maurizzi (7.5), Suleymanli (8.0) lost to Ivanchuk (8.0), Oro (6.0) beat Yuffa (4.5).

Anish Giri (2760) – Yağız Kaan Erdoğmuş (2658) 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bf4 O-O 6. e3 c5 7. dxc5 Bxc5 8. Qc2 Nc6 9. a3 Qa5 10. Rd1 Be7 11. Be2 Ne4 12. cxd5 Nxc3 13. bxc3 exd5 14. O-O Bf6 15. c4 dxc4 16. Bxc4 Bf5 17. Qa2 Be4 18. Nd2 Bg6 19. Bb3 Ne5 20. Bd5 Bd3 21. Bxe5 Bxe5 22. Nf3 Bxf1 23. Nxe5 Ba6 24. Nxf7 Qc3 25. h4 g6 26. Be6 Rxf7 27. Bxf7+ Kh8 28. Qe6 Bb5 29. Rd4 Qc1+ 30. Kh2 Qc7+ 31. Rf4 Qc3

32. Qe7 1-0

Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (2758) – Vincent Keymer (2776) 1. c4 e5 2. g3 Nf6 3. Bg2 c6 4. d4 d6 5. Nc3 Na6 6. d5 cxd5 7. cxd5 g6 8. Nf3 Bg7 9. O-O Bd7 10. Ne1 h5 11. Nd3 h4 12. Qb3 Qb6 13. Be3 Qxb3 14. axb3 h3 15. Bh1 Bf5 16. Nb5 Kd7 17. Nxd6 Kxd6 18. Nxe5 Rhf8 19. Bd4 Rae8 20. f4 Bh8 21. Nc4+ Kd7 22. Ne5+ Kd6 23. Nc4+ Kc7 24. Be5+ Kd7 25. Nd6 Ng4 26. Nxb7 Nxe5 27. fxe5 Bxe5 28. Rfd1 Nb8 29. Rxa7 Ke7 30. Na5+ Kf6 31. Nc4 Nd7 32. d6 Rc8 33. Bd5 Rfe8 34. e3 Rc5 35. b4 Rxd5 36. Rxd5 Be6 37. Rd1 Bxc4 38. Rxd7 Ke6 39. Rb7 Bb3 40. Rd3 Bc2 41. Rd2 Be4 42. Rb6 Rd8 43. b5 Bxd6 44. Kf2 f5 45. Ra6 g5 46. Rd4 g4 47. b6 Bb7 48. Ra7 Rb8 49. Rd3 Be4 50. Rd2 Rxb6 51. Ra1 Rc6 52. b3 Bb4 53. Rda2 Ke5 54. Re2 Rc3 55. Rb2 Bd5 56. Re1 Ba3 57. Ra2 Bc5 58. Ree2 Bxb3 59. Ra8 Bc4 60. Re8+ Kf6 61. Re1 Rc2+ 62. Kg1 Bd5 63. Rf1

63…Bc6 0-1

Complete Results

Official Site: https://tatasteelchess.com/en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tatasteelchess

Photo courtesy: Lennart Ootes / TATA Steel Chess 2026