Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has emerged as a strong contender for the top honors at the Prague Masters chess tournament in Prague. In a crucial sixth-round encounter, Praggnanandhaa defeated overnight sole leader Nodirbek Abdusattarov of Uzbekistan, bringing him within striking distance of the top spot.
Praggnanandhaa, playing with the black pieces, displayed exceptional skill and strategy. He countered Abdusattarov’s Ruy Lopez opening with deft maneuvers, gradually gaining an advantage on all sides of the board. As the game progressed, Abdusattarov found himself under increasing pressure and eventually succumbed to Praggnanandhaa’s relentless attack.
This victory propelled Praggnanandhaa to second place in the standings, with 3.5 points, just half a point behind Abdusattarov. The tournament, a ten-player round-robin event, still has three rounds remaining, and Praggnanandhaa is well-positioned to challenge for the title.
Meanwhile, other Indian players faced mixed fortunes. D Gukesh suffered a setback, losing to Mateusz Bartel of Poland. Vidit Gujrathi also experienced a disappointing result, going down to Vincent Keymer of Germany.
In the other matches of the sixth round, Nguyen Thai Dai Van of the Czech Republic defeated Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran, while David Navara of the Czech Republic drew with Richard Rapport of Romania.
With three rounds remaining, the Prague Masters tournament remains highly competitive. Praggnanandhaa’s victory over Abdusattarov has injected excitement into the race for the top spot, and the Indian prodigy will be determined to maintain his momentum and secure a podium finish.
