Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands – The fifth round of the prestigious 2025 Tata Steel Chess Masters tournament proved pivotal, dramatically altering the landscape at the top of the leaderboard. The previously sole leader, Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa, was pegged back, allowing Uzbek GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov to pull level. Meanwhile, fellow Indian star Dommaraju Gukesh secured a hard-fought victory, significantly closing the gap on the leading duo and injecting fresh intensity into the championship race.
The Race at the Top
After a strong start, Praggnanandhaa settled for a cautious draw against Max Warmerdam. The game was a quiet, perhaps even uneventful, affair with minimal risk taken by either side. Given Warmerdam`s struggles earlier in the event, he was likely content to split the point, a sentiment Praggnanandhaa seemingly shared, bringing his score to 4 points out of 5.
In contrast, Nodirbek Abdusattorov demonstrated sharp, aggressive play in his game against Jordan van Foreest. Playing with the black pieces, Abdusattorov navigated some early deviations from theory with impressive accuracy. He saw through Van Foreest`s attempts to create complications, including a knight sacrifice, responding with precise counter-sacrifices to gain a decisive advantage. This confident and accurate performance secured the win in 47 moves, propelling Abdusattorov to join Praggnanandhaa at the summit with 4 points.
Gukesh`s Marathon Win
Dommaraju Gukesh secured a vital win in Round 5 against Vincent Keymer. This victory was anything but swift, requiring a lengthy 72 moves of persistent effort. Gukesh, playing his former world championship second, obtained a material advantage early on following an error by Keymer. However, converting this advantage into a win proved to be a considerable task. Keymer defended tenaciously, pushing the game well past the 40-move mark and into the time increment.
For hours, Gukesh patiently wore down his opponent. While the technical winning line might have been complex under pressure, Gukesh maintained his grip on the position. A couple of late inaccuracies from Keymer finally allowed the Indian GM to bring home the full point. This grind-it-out performance brought Gukesh within half a point of the leaders, sitting comfortably on 3.5 points. Gukesh made his ambitions clear, stating, “For any chess player winning Tata Steel is one dream… A grandmaster has to win Wijk aan Zee before dying!” A rather definitive career goal, wouldn`t you say?
Unexpected Outcomes and Other Results
Round 5 also featured a significant upset: Vladimir Fedoseev defeated the highly-rated Fabiano Caruana. This result was unexpected and brought Fedoseev level with Gukesh on 3.5 points, positioning him firmly among the contenders.
Elsewhere, Arjun Erigaisi managed to stop his recent losing streak with a draw against compatriot Leon Luke Mendonca. While Erigaisi came with clear winning intentions, the game ultimately petered out into a draw, leaving both players at the bottom of the standings heading into the rest day. Pentala Harikrishna also opted for safety, securing an early draw against Wei Yi in an uneventful encounter. Anish Giri and Alexey Sarana likewise drew their game.
Looking Ahead
The stage is set for a fascinating Round 6 following the rest day. The most anticipated matchup will undoubtedly be the clash between Dommaraju Gukesh and joint-leader Nodirbek Abdusattorov. With both players in good form and vying for the lead, this promises to be a critical encounter with significant implications for the tournament standings.
Standings After Round 5
R Praggnanandhaa: 4
Nodirbek Abdusattorov: 4
Dommaraju Gukesh: 3.5
Vladimir Fedoseev: 3.5
Pentala Harikrishna: 3
Fabiano Caruana: 2.5
Vincent Keymer: 2.5
Wei Yi: 2.5
Alexey Sarana: 2.5
Anish Giri: 2
Jordan van Foreest: 1.5
Max Warmerdam: 1.5
Leon Luke Mendonca: 1
Arjun Erigaisi: 1
