D.Gukesh Rises to World No. 3 as R.Praggnanandhaa Defeats Fabiano Caruana in Thrilling Round 11 of Tata Steel Chess 2025

India’s chess star, Gukesh Dommaraju, has climbed to World No. 3 after a solid draw against Wei Yi from China at the 2025 Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee. His fellow Indian, Praggnanandhaa, created waves by defeating top seed Fabiano Caruana, marking a remarkable day for Indian chess.

Gukesh started strong with the white pieces, opting for a King’s Pawn to engage in a classic Italian Game. After both players castled early, a critical moment arose when Gukesh sacrificed Wei Yi’s queen. This forced an immediate response from Wei, maintaining balance until the endgame, where both players had a rook. Ultimately, neither could gain a decisive advantage, leading to a draw.

This result allows Gukesh to remain atop the Masters standings, with 8 points out of 11 games played.

In a thrilling upset, Praggnanandhaa took down Caruana. Playing with the black pieces, he responded to Caruana’s English Opening using the Agincourt Defense. The match swung in Praggnanandhaa’s favor after Caruana made a strategic error on the 32nd move. Seizing the opportunity, Praggnanandhaa executed a brilliant knight maneuver that led to his victory in just 37 moves.

Thanks to their impressive performances, Gukesh’s live rating has now pushed him ahead of Caruana, securing his spot at World No. 3 with an Elo rating of 2793.2. Meanwhile, Caruana dropped to 2792.4.

On a different note, Leon Luke Mendonca scored his first win against Vladimir Fedoseev. Fedoseev, known for his surprising victories against top players, was unable to withstand Mendonca’s push. Additionally, Pentala Harikrishna notched his third win by defeating Alexey Sarana, while Arjun Erigaisi managed a draw against former champion Jorden van Foreest. The day’s longest match saw Vincent Keymer and Nodirbek Abdusattorov play for 77 moves before settling for a draw. Dutch chess player Anish Giri continued his unbeaten streak with a win over Max Warmerdam.

In the Challengers section, Divya Deshmukh achieved her second win by defeating Irina Bulmaga from Romania. However, Vaishali Rameshbabu faced a setback with a loss to Aydin Suleymanli from Azerbaijan. The top position remains with Dutch veteran Erwin l’Ami leading the Challengers with 8 points.

As the tournament progresses, it’s exciting to see young talents like Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa making their mark on the international chess scene. Their successes not only elevate their rankings but also inspire a new generation of chess players in India.

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