Prague R8: Giri scores, Aravindh closer to tournament victory

by Johannes Fischer
3/7/2025 – In round seven of the Masters tournament at the Prague Chess Festival, Indian grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram took the lead in the standings, and in round eight he defended it with a draw against David Navara, as the second-placed player, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, also signed a draw. The wins of the round were achieved by Anish Giri, who won with black against Sam Shankland, and Wei Yi, who benefited from a mistake by Thai Dai Van Nguyen in a rook ending. | Photo: Petr Vrabec

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Giri and Wei bounce back

Anish Giri recovered well from his defeat against Aravindh Chithambaram in round seven by beating US grandmaster Sam Shankland in round eight. Giri showed why bishops of opposite colours are good for the attacker in the middlegame.

Anish Giri

Anish Giri signing an autograph | Photo: Petr Vrabec

Chinese grandmaster Wei Yi started the tournament as the top seed, but only scored half a point in the first three rounds. But then he recovered and scored 4 points from the next 5 games, and now even has a theoretical chance of winning the tournament. Before the final round, he stands one point behind leader Aravindh and half a point behind second-placed Praggnanandhaa. If Wei Yi wins in the final round, Praggnanandhaa draws and Aravindh loses, the three would be tied for first place and would have to decide the tournament winner in a play-off. However, such a scenario is not very likely.

Wei had an advantage in his encounter against Thai Dai Van Nguyen for almost the entire game, but only won after Nguyen erred in a balanced ending.

Wei Yi

Wei Yi | Photo: Petr Vrabec

The three remaining games of the round ended in draws. Aravindh played it safe against David Navara, Praggnanandhaa played a tactically and strategically demanding game against Le Quang Liem, which ended in a draw by repetition, and Vincent Keymer put Ediz Gürel under constant pressure, but was unable to turn this pressure into anything tangible.

Round 8 results

Standings

All games

Challengers: Yakubboev beats Stalmach, leads

In the Challengers, Uzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Yakubboev has the best chance of winning the tournament. He won convincingly with black against Richard Stalmach in the eighth round and secured the sole lead in the table, since Jonas Buhl Bjerre could not go beyond a draw against Vaclav Finek.

Yakubboev therefore goes into the final round with a half-point lead and will win the tournament and qualify for next year's Masters if he beats Finek.

Nodirbek Yakubboev

Nodirbek Yakubboev during round seven | Photo: Petr Vrabec

Round 8 results

Standings

All games

Links


Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".
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