Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa continued his steady performance at the Sinquefield Cup, part of the Grand Chess Tour, securing his fifth consecutive draw against Poland’s Jan-Krzysztof Duda in the sixth round on Sunday. With this result, Praggnanandhaa maintains his joint second position with 3.5 points from six games, trailing tournament leader American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana, who holds 4 points.
The sixth round, marked by another day of all-drawn games, saw Praggnanandhaa employ the Alapin variation against Duda’s Sicilian defense, gaining a slight optical advantage. Duda countered with a timely rook sacrifice after Praggnanandhaa castled queenside, leading to a swift resolution through perpetual checks in just 32 moves. The Indian star’s composed play kept him firmly in the race, sharing second place with American Levon Aronian.
World Champion D Gukesh, tied for fourth with 3 points alongside Americans Wesley So and Samuel Sevian, and French players Alireza Firouzja and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, faced a challenging game against Firouzja. Opting for a classical setup against Firouzja’s Sicilian defense, Gukesh navigated an inferior position and a lost pawn to reach a minor piece endgame, ultimately neutralizing Firouzja’s advantage to secure a draw.
Also Read: Sinquefield Cup: Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh Hold Ground
Other matches mirrored the round’s cautious tone. Caruana, despite a dubious pawn exchange against Sevian in a Ragozin defense, saw his opponent opt for repetition, ending the game in 27 moves. Aronian drew with So, while Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Vachier-Lagrave also split points, marking the second consecutive day of all draws in the tournament.
The Sinquefield Cup, a premier event in the Grand Chess Tour, continues to showcase intense competition, with Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh holding strong among the world’s chess elite. Round six pairings included: Praggnanandhaa (3.5) vs. Duda (2.5), Gukesh (3) vs. Firouzja (3), Sevian (3) vs. Caruana (4), Aronian (3.5) vs. So (3), and Abdusattorov (1.5) vs. Vachier-Lagrave (3). As the tournament progresses, all eyes remain on the Indian prodigies as they vie for the top spot.
Also Read: Praggnanandhaa Defeats Gukesh, Moves to World No. 3