NEW DELHI: D Gukesh, the reigning world chess champion, secured a comfortable draw against top seed Fabiano Caruana in the third round of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk Aan Zee, The Netherlands, on Monday.
With this result, Gukesh has now earned 2 points from a possible 3 in his first major tournament of the year, maintaining a steady start.
Playing with the white pieces, Gukesh opted for a cautious approach, avoiding unnecessary risks. The game opened with a Queen pawn setup and was met by Caruana's Ragozin Defense.
Caruana advanced his kingside pawns, but Gukesh quickly assessed that pushing for an advantage might not yield results in the position.
In an unusual move for the typically aggressive Gukesh, he chose to settle for a quiet outcome. The game ended in a draw after just 24 moves, following a repetition of moves.
Both Gukesh and Caruana now stand at 2 points in the Masters' section, awaiting further rounds to determine who will gain the upper hand in this competitive field.
Meanwhile, India's R Praggnanandhaa appeared to have an edge in an endgame against compatriot Arjun Erigaisi. If Praggnanandhaa capitalizes on his advantage, he could emerge as the sole leader in the super tournament.
The Tata Steel Chess Tournament continues to showcase high-level competition, with exciting rounds ahead.
