D Gukesh made a strong comeback in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025 in Round 5 with a victory against Vincent Keymer in a long 72-move game. Playing with the white pieces, Gukesh encountered some challenges early on, giving the German GM an opportunity to bounce back. However, Keymer could not capitalise, and Gukesh’s skills ultimately led to his second win in the tournament. This victory ends a streak of three consecutive draws for Gukesh.
Pragg holds firm against Warmerdam
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa continued his impressive form with a solid draw against Max Warmerdam. The game began with both players adopting the French defence, and although Praggnanandhaa played aggressively, Warmerdam managed to hold his ground. The match concluded in 39 moves without either player breaking through, marking Pragg’s second draw in the competition. Praggnanandhaa’s steady performance keeps him at the top of the Masters standings, highlighting his consistency.
Missed opportunities for Erigaisi and Mendonca
In a game marked by missed chances, Arjun Erigaisi and Leon Luke Mendonca ended in a stalemate. Last year’s Challengers winner, Mendonca gained an early advantage with the Blumenfeld Countergambit but lost it due to a crucial mistake on the 18th move. Arjun skillfully navigated the game to force a draw through a threefold repetition within 30 moves. Both players walked away with half a point, reflecting on what could have been.
Mixed results in challengers section
In the Challengers division, Divya Deshmukh faced a tough loss against Erwin l’Ami, while Vaishali Rameshbabu secured her second draw of the tournament against Frederik Svane. Young talent Lu Miaoyi experienced her first defeat, losing to Dutch GM Benjamin Bok. Another game saw Ediz Gurel and Thai Dai Van Nguyen settle for a draw after a challenging 119-move match. The standings highlight a competitive field, with players like l’Ami leading in the Challengers section.
Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025: Round 5 standings
Masters: Praggnanandhaa (4/5), Abdusattorov (4/5), Gukesh (3.5/5), Fedoseev (3.5/5), Harikrishna (3/5), Wei Yi (2.5/5), Caruana (2.5/5), Sarana (2.5/5), Keymer (2.5/5), Giri (2/5), Warmerdam (1.5/5), van Foreest (1.5/5), Mendonca (1/5), Erigaisi (1/5)
Challengers: l’Ami (4/5), Benjamin (3/5), Thai Dai van (3/5), Miaoyi (3/5), Vaishali (3/5), Nogerbek (3/5), Svane (2.5/5), Suleymanli (2.5/5), Nodirbek Yakubboev (2.5/5), Gurel (2.5/5), Deshmukh (1.5/5), Pijpers (1.5/5), Oro (1.5/5), Bulmaga (0.5/5)
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