Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa dedicated a time-pressure blunder as he suffered defeat by the hands of Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran within the second spherical of Prague Masters Chess match in Prague. The defeat ended Praggnanandhaa’s spectacular 47-game unbeaten streak in Classical Chess. The 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa additionally misplaced the highest rating in stay rankings amongst Indians — a spot reclaimed by the legendary Viswanathan Anand who can also be the model ambassador of this occasion. D Gukesh, in the meantime, got here up with a formidable efficiency with black items to beat Nguyen Thai Dai Van of Czech Republic whereas the opposite three video games within the 10-player round-robin occasion resulted in a draw.

With seven rounds nonetheless to return, Iranian GM Maghsoodloo is sitting fairly on two factors, a half level forward of Gukesh and Nodirbek Abdusattarov of Uzbekistan who performed out a draw with India’s Vidit Gujrathi.

Praggnanandhaa, Gujrathi, Richard Rapport of Romania and David Navara of Czech Republic share the fourth spot on one level every whereas Vincent Keymer of Germany and Mateusz Bartel of Poland are on joint eighth spot with 0.5 level of their kitty. Van is the one participant but to open his account.

Praggnanandhaa went down combating from a place he would have simply saved on one other day. Playing the black facet of a London System, the Indian didn’t have a lot bother in equalizing and Maghsoodloo saved on on the lookout for methods to complicate the place.

At some level within the center recreation, Praggnanandhaa even seemed higher however with the clock ticking away it was not a straightforward job to complete. Maghsoodloo by then had skilled his eyes to go for the black king and all he wanted was a blunder that created a number of threats. It was over in 38 strikes.

Gukesh’s perseverance paid off towards Dai Van in a reverse Benoni recreation whereby the latter performed white. Gukesh simply saved himself within the recreation by sluggish and regular enchancment proper via and his tactic proved proper because the Czech participant fell prey and gave up a rook for minor piece.

Wasting no time, Gukesh transformed to an endgame and located a fantastic end in direction of the top to drive issues. The recreation lasted 52 strikes.

Gujrathi accepted an early pawn sacrifice by Abdusattarov out a Four Knights opening. Playing black, the Uzbek by no means seemed like in any actual hazard regardless of the fabric deficit and ultimately drew in simply 35 strikes.

In different video games, Bartel Mateusz had a straightforward recreation with Rapport whereas Keymer didn’t discover any problem in signing peace with Navara.

In the Challengers part, R Vaishali misplaced her second straight recreation towards Ediz Gurel of Turkey.

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