Pragg fails to punish So’s blunder

For a second time at the 2024 Superbet Chess Classic, all five games ended drawn in a single round. Much like in round 3, chances were missed in the fifth round at the Grand Hotel Bucharest. The five split points left Fabiano Caruana atop the standings with 3½ points, while Indian prodigies Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh continue to share second place a half point back.

The player who missed the biggest chance to score a full point on Sunday was Pragg, who was playing black against Wesley So. In an endgame with queens, rooks and minor pieces still on the board, the Indian youngster failed to find a geometric pattern that would have granted him a second victory in the event.

In Tuesday’s sixth round, both Caruana and Pragg will play white, against Ian Nepomniachtchi and Bogdan-Daniel Deac respectively. Gukesh, in the meantime, will have the black pieces against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.

Results - Round 5

Attack like a Super Grandmaster

In this Fritztrainer: “Attack like a Super GM” with Gukesh we touch upon all aspects of his play, with special emphasis on how you can become a better attacking player.

Tied for second place — Dommaraju Gukesh | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Former world champion Garry Kasparov | Photo: Lennart Ootes

So ½ - ½ Praggnanandhaa

Analysis by André Schulz

A Supergrandmaster's Guide to Openings Vol.1 & 2

This video course includes GM Anish Giri's deep insights and IM Sagar Shah's pertinent questions to the super GM. In Vol.1 all the openings after 1.e4 are covered.

Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Standings after round 5

All games

Links

• Official site
• Fabiano Caruana outright winner at Superbet Chess Classic in Romania (2023)
• Vachier-Lagrave has a brilliant day, wins Superbet Chess Classic (2022)
• Shakhriyar Mamedyarov wins Superbet Chess Classic (2021)