Praggnanandhaa Shines, Gukesh Out in Sinquefield Stunner!
Praggnanandhaa stays in the race; Gukesh out of Sinquefield Cup contention.
In a gripping eighth round of the Sinquefield Cup held in St. Louis, USA, on August 27, 2025, Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa maintained his strong position in the Grand Chess Tour by securing a draw against American Wesley So. Meanwhile, reigning world champion D Gukesh’s hopes of clinching the title were dashed after a draw with Levon Aronian, placing him out of contention in the ten-player round-robin tournament.
Praggnanandhaa, with 5.5 points from eight games, remains a firm contender for a top-four finish in the overall Grand Chess Tour standings, which will qualify him for the inaugural finals in Sao Paulo, Brazil. His draw against So came in a tightly contested match arising from an Italian opening, where So employed the Two Knights defense, sacrificing a pawn for counterplay. Praggnanandhaa, despite holding an extra pawn, faced challenges due to a slightly compromised pawn structure. Both players expertly maneuvered, resulting in a draw by repetition as neither could gain a decisive advantage.
Gukesh, however, struggled to keep pace, finishing his match against Aronian with a draw after 77 moves. The game, which stemmed from a Queen’s pawn opening, saw Gukesh gain a slight edge in the early middle game. Aronian countered effectively, advancing a passed pawn to the seventh rank, forcing Gukesh to sacrifice a rook for a minor piece to halt its progress. The game concluded with bare kings on the board, leaving Gukesh with 3.5 points and in eighth place, ahead of France’s Alireza Firouzja (3 points) and Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2.5 points).
Also Read: Sinquefield Cup: Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh Hold Ground
Elsewhere, Fabiano Caruana of the USA secured his spot in the Grand Chess Tour finals with a draw against Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, maintaining his lead with 5.5 points alongside Praggnanandhaa. Half a point behind are So and Aronian, both with 4.5 points, followed by Samuel Sevian, Duda Jan-Krzysztof, and Vachier-Lagrave, each with 4 points. The round also saw Abdusattorov defeat Firouzja, while Sevian and Duda drew their match.
With one round remaining, Praggnanandhaa’s consistent performance keeps him in the race for the finals, alongside Caruana, Aronian, and Vachier-Lagrave. The Sinquefield Cup, a critical leg of the Grand Chess Tour, continues to showcase intense battles as players vie for supremacy and a coveted spot in Sao Paulo.
Also Read: Praggnanandhaa Defeats Gukesh, Moves to World No. 3
