On Sunday, Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa won the Tata Steel Masters 2025 in Wijk aan Zee after a gripping final round. He overcame defending World Champion and compatriot D. Gukesh in a dramatic tiebreaker to win his first championship at the renowned event.
Praggnanandhaa needs only a draw against Germany’s Vincent Keymer to win the title. Meanwhile, co-leader Gukesh lost a vital match against Arjun Erigaisi, giving Praggnanandhaa an advantage. However, Keymer surprised him and gave Gukesh a second chance at the crown.
The tiebreaks unfolded in a dramatic fashion. Praggnanandhaa blundered a complete rook in the opening game, giving Gukesh the advantage. In the second game, when he needed to win, he moved to the Trompowsky opening and carefully capitalised on an unforced blunder to equalise the game.
The match went to sudden death, when Praggnanandhaa, although in a weaker position, turned the tables when Gukesh fell under pressure. He took the opportunity, winning the game and clinching the championship.
Thai Dai Van Nguyen won the Challengers section on tiebreaks and will compete in the Masters in 2026.
