Gukesh, Firouzja win @ Sinquefield Cup

World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju bounced back defeating Abdusattorov, while GMs Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Alireza Firouzja and Levon Aronian led with 1.5/2 score after the 2nd round of the Grand Chess Tour’s Sinquefield Cup at the University Club Tower, Richmond Heights, Missouri, USA. The win takes Gukesh half a point shy of the leaders along with GMs Caruana, So, Vachier-Lagrave and Sevian.

The other winner for the day was GM Alireza Firouzja who won a marathon 100 mover against GM Duda Jan-Krzysztof. With an eye on the qualifying spot for the Grand Chess Tour finals at Brazil every single game is bound to be critical for either player’s chances.

The Ruy Lopez game between Gukesh and Abdusattorov saw aggression from the World Champion from the word go. The Uzbek GMs decision to castle long walked into the Indian’s plan. The ensuing middle game saw black facing a wave of attack on the queenside. To stem the slide, Abdusattorov gave his rook for a knight, but the black king was way too exposed to survive. When the storm subsided black’s position shattered and was lost. Gukesh, putting the first round loss behind, was a picture of confidence and would now be looking forward to a positive finish.

Games involving GMs Praggnanandhaa – Caruana, Aronian – Sevian, So – Vachier-Lagrave ended in draws. The Sinquefield Cup 2025 carries a prize fund of $350,000 along with GCT circuit points leading up-to the year end GCT grand finals scheduled to be held at Sao Paulo, Brazil. The third round starts by Wednesday, 20th August at 1:10 PM ET / 7:10 PM CEST / 10:40 PM IST.

Pairings (Round 3): Sevian – Gukesh, Abdusattorov – Praggnanandhaa, Caruana – Firouzja, Vachier-Lagrave – Aronian, Duda – So

Results (Round 2): Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu (1.5) drew with Caruana Fabiano (1.0), Aronian Levon (1.5), drew with Sevian Samuel (1.0), So Wesley (1.0) drew with Vachier-Lagrave Maxime (1.0), Firouzja Alireza (1.5) beat Duda Jan-Krzysztof (0.5), Gukesh Dommaraju (1.0) beat Abdusattorov Nodirbek (0)

Gukesh Dommaraju (2776) – Abdusattorov Nodirbek (2771) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Nbd2 Nc5 10. c3 d4 11. Bc2 d3 12. Bb1 Qd5 13. Re1 O-O-O 14. Ng5 Nxe5 15. a4 Bd6 16. axb5 axb5 17. Ba2 Nc4 18. b4 Nd7 19. Bxc4 bxc4 20. Ra5 Qc6 21. Ndf3 Bd5 22. Nd4 Qb7 23. Be3 h6 24. Ngf3 Nb6 25. Nd2 h5 26. Nb5 Bc6 27. Na7+ Kb8 28. Nxc6+ Qxc6 29. Nf3 Rhe8 30. Nd4 Qe4 31. b5 Kb7 32. Nc6 Qd5 33. Nxd8+ Rxd8 34. Qa1 Kb8 35. Qa2 Re8 36. Qd2 Re4 37. Raa1 h4? (37…Qe5 38. g3 Bc5 might hold for black)

38. Bxb6 cxb6 39. Rxe4 Qxe4 40. Qa2 Kc8 41. Qa6+ Kd7 42. Qxb6 Qe5 43. Qc6+ Ke7 44. g3 d2 45. Qxc4 Qe1+ 46. Qf1 Qe5 47. Rd1 hxg3 48. hxg3 Bc5 49. Rxd2 Qxg3+

50. Qg2 1-0

Firouzja Alireza (2766) – Duda Jan-Krzysztof (2725) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Bc5 10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Bc2 Nxf2 12. Rxf2 Bxf2+ 13. Kxf2 f6 14. Nf1 fxe5 15. Kg1 Bg4 16. Ne3 Be6 17. b4 a5 18. Bb3 axb4 19. Nxd5 Kh8 20. Be3 bxc3 21. Ng5 Bg8 22. Qh5 h6 23. Ne4 Bxd5 24. Bxh6 Qe8 25. Qg5 Qe7 26. Bxd5 Rad8 27. Qh5 gxh6 28. Qxh6+ Qh7 29. Qxc6 c2 30. Bb3 Rd4 31. Re1 Qh4 32. g3 Qh3 33. Qxc2 Qf5 34. Qe2 b4 35. Nc5 Rf6 36. Bc2 Qf3 37. Qxf3 Rxf3 38. Re2 Rc3 39. Ne6 Rd6 40. Ng5 Rd7 41. Bb3 Kg7 42. Re1 Rdd3 43. Rf1 c5 44. Bf7 Kh6 45. Ne4 Rc2 46. Bb3 Rb2 47. Rf6+ Kg7 48. Rf7+ Kh6 49. Rf6+ Kg7 50. Rf7+ Kh6 51. Nxc5 Rdd2 52. Ne4 Rg2+ 53. Kf1 Rxh2 54. Rf2 Kg6 55. Rxh2 Rxh2 56. Nf2 Kf5 57. Ke2 Rh8 58. Ke3 Rd8 59. g4+ Kf6 60. Ne4+ Kg6 61. Be6 Kg7 62. Bb3 Kg6 63. Nf2 Kf6 64. Nd3 Rd4 65. g5+ Kxg5 66. Nxe5 Rf4 67. Nf3+ Kg4 68. Be6+ Kg3 69. Ne5 Rf6 70. Bd5 Rf4 71. Nd3 Rh4 72. Be4 Rh2 73. Bd5 Rh4 74. Ne5 Rf4 75. Nc6 Rh4 76. Kd3 Rf4 77. Bc4 Kg4 78. Nxb4 Kf5 79. Nc6 Rf3+ 80. Kd4 Ra3 81. Kc5 Rxa2 82. Bxa2 Ke4 83. Bb1+ Ke3 84. Kd5 Kf3 85. Ke5 Ke3 86. Be4 Ke2 87. Kd4 Kf2 88. Ne5 Ke2 89. Nd3 Kd1 90. Nf4 Kd2 91. Bd3 Kd1 92. Ne2 Kd2 93. Ke4 Ke1 94. Ke3 Kf1 95. Nf4+ Ke1 96. Bc2 Kf1 97. Bb3 Ke1 98. Ng2+ Kf1 99. Kf3 Kg1 100. Kg3 1-0

Pictures courtesy: Grand Chess Tour / Saint Louis Chess Club / TATA Steel Chess 2025

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