Sports

Praggnanandhaa Secures Double Points with Four Wins and a Draw on Day Two

By Devansh Singh

In Round 4, Praggnanandhaa started at the bottom of the standings and faced Javokhir Sindarov, who will challenge D. Gukesh for the World Championship. Playing Black, Praggnanandhaa won in a tense time scramble. On move 36 Sindarov played 36.Ra1?, aiming a check on a8. With only seven seconds left, Praggnanandhaa responded 36…Qd5!, blocking the threat. After 37.Rf1, he played 37…Qxe5+, followed by 38.Kh1 Qe4+ 39.Kh2 Rc2, securing the win.

In the return game, Praggnanandhaa had White against the King's Indian. He played h3, Bg5 and castled queenside. The position became messy; after 26.a3? Nb3+ the black knights began to harass the white king. By move 40 Praggnanandhaa had nine seconds left to Sindarov’s two and a half minutes, and 40.Rh5?? allowed 40…Rxf2, after which mate could not be stopped.

On the other board, Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana drew both their games.

Round 5 saw Hikaru Nakamura, who had not lost a game in the event so far, play Praggnanandhaa. In the first game, Praggnanandhaa had White and outplayed Hikaru from the opening. Under time pressure, both players were under 15 seconds. Hikaru blundered Kh7?? and then Qxd7, losing the game.

In the second game, Praggnanandhaa had Black in a Sicilian. Hikaru sacrificed a pawn in the middlegame; Praggnanandhaa accepted it and never relinquished the advantage. Hikaru’s compensation was limited; he played b4? and the game ended in a draw.

Praggnanandhaa’s two wins over Hikaru gave him four points in the round. On the other board, Caruana beat Sindarov in the first game and drew the second.

Round 6 featured Praggnanandhaa’s final opponent of the day, Fabiano Caruana. The first game was a 77‑move marathon starting from a Queen’s Gambit Declined. Caruana gave up the exchange on c5 and won material back, but a mistake on Bd4 allowed Pragg to play Rd8, pinning the bishop and eventually winning.

In the second game, Praggnanandhaa had White and Caruana found counterplay with …Rxf2. The game ended in a repetition on move 34.

On the other board, Sindarov and Nakamura drew both their games.

Praggnanandhaa finished the day with four wins, one draw and one loss, earning nine points out of a possible twelve. He moved from last place with two points to the sole leader with eleven points. Sindarov and Caruana are on 8.5 points, and Nakamura on 8. The final day will award three points for a win, so the outcome remains undecided.