The Tata Steel Chess Masters tournament in Wijk aan Zee delivered another round of intense battles and shifting fortunes in Round 4. Young Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa continued his impressive run, securing his third consecutive victory to seize the sole lead, while World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh demonstrated resilience in a lengthy defensive effort to earn a crucial draw.
Praggnanandhaa, playing with the white pieces, faced his compatriot Leon Luke Mendonca. Building on his momentum, Pragg navigated the complexities of the Ruy Lopez opening with precision. Mendonca, still finding his footing in the elite field, committed an inaccuracy on move 24, allowing Praggnanandhaa to gain a decisive advantage. Despite Mendonca`s efforts to complicate matters, Pragg converted his advantage systematically, leading to Mendonca`s resignation on move 46. This win elevates Praggnanandhaa to an impressive 3.5 points out of 4, placing him half a point ahead of the field. Curiously, all three of his wins thus far have come against his fellow Indian players.
World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh found himself in a stern test against Alexey Sarana. In a gruelling encounter that stretched over six hours and 70 moves, Gukesh, playing with the black pieces, was frequently under pressure. Sarana held a positional and material advantage for significant portions of the game. However, Gukesh showcased remarkable defensive resourcefulness, finding the accurate moves necessary to navigate the complex endgame and ultimately force a draw. This hard-fought half-point keeps Gukesh unbeaten and maintains his position within the chasing pack with 2.5 points.
The round also saw swings of momentum for other players. Pentala Harikrishna secured a valuable full point against the struggling Max Warmerdam. Harikrishna`s strategic play, including a well-timed sacrifice, created complications that Warmerdam failed to handle correctly in the endgame, allowing the experienced Indian grandmaster to clinch the win and join the group at 2.5 points.
On the other hand, Arjun Erigaisi experienced a difficult round. He appeared to be heading for a win against Vladimir Fedoseev, having established a dominant position and capitalizing on some inaccuracies from his opponent. However, a critical miscalculation involving a pawn on move 27 proved catastrophic, leading to the loss of a knight. Despite battling on, the material deficit was too significant, and Fedoseev efficiently converted the advantage to secure the win. Erigaisi remains on 0.5 points after this heartbreaking turn of events.
In other results, Nodirbek Abdusattorov missed an opportunity to maintain his share of the lead, drawing against Wei Yi from what was considered a winning position. Fabiano Caruana managed to save a draw against Anish Giri, navigating time pressure and an initially disadvantaged position with characteristic tenacity. Vincent Keymer`s attempts to wear down Jordan van Foreest also resulted in a draw.
Round 4 Results at Tata Steel Chess Masters
- R Praggnanandhaa 1-0 Leon Luke Mendonca
- Alexey Sarana 0.5-0.5 Dommaraju Gukesh
- Arjun Erigaisi 0-1 Vladimir Fedoseev
- Pentala Harikrishna 1-0 Max Warmerdam
- Fabiano Caruana 0.5-0.5 Anish Giri
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov 0.5-0.5 Wei Yi
- Vincent Keymer 0.5-0.5 Jordan van Foreest
Standings After Round 4
- R Praggnanandhaa: 3.5
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov: 3
- Fabiano Caruana: 2.5
- Dommaraju Gukesh: 2.5
- Vincent Keymer: 2.5
- Vladimir Fedoseev: 2.5
- Pentala Harikrishna: 2.5
- Wei Yi: 2
- Alexey Sarana: 2
- Anish Giri: 1.5
- Jordan van Foreest: 1.5
- Max Warmerdam: 1
- Leon Luke Mendonca: 0.5
- Arjun Erigaisi: 0.5
