In the intense battle for the Candidates Tournament, India’s D Gukesh suffered a heartbreaking loss to Alireza Firouzja in Round 7, knocking him out of the shared lead. The result propelled Ian Nepomniachtchi, who drew his game with Hikaru Nakamura, back into sole possession of first place.
Gukesh, playing with White, faced an unbalanced position created by Firouzja’s London System. Despite Firouzja’s struggles in the tournament, he found inspiration in an online blitz session on the morning of the game. With time running out, Firouzja executed a brilliant Nd7! move, forcing Gukesh into a time scramble.
Under immense pressure, Gukesh made a crucial mistake with Kh7, allowing Firouzja to deliver checkmate with 37…Rf3. The blitz session may have provided Firouzja with the spark he needed to pursue a mating attack, while Gukesh’s first defeat in seven rounds dealt a significant blow to his title hopes.
Meanwhile, R Praggnanandhaa continued his impressive run with an ambitious French Defense against world No. 2 Fabiano Caruana. Despite Caruana’s previous successes against the French Defense, Praggnanandhaa’s deep knowledge of the line forced a draw in 41 moves.
Praggnanandhaa expressed satisfaction with his tournament performance, highlighting the quality of his games and his ability to recall lines at the board. He credited his support system for helping him overcome tough moments.
As the players enter a rest day before the final seven rounds, the standings remain tight. Nepomniachtchi leads with 4.5 points, followed by Caruana and Praggnanandhaa with 4 points each. Gukesh is tied with Nakamura and Abasov at 3.5 points.
