Tata Steel Chess R2: Five co-leaders

Wins for Pragg, Caruana and Abdusattorov

On Saturday, the prestigious tournament in Wijk aan Zee began, a competition closely tied to the steel factory in IJmuiden, as it has traditionally been its main sponsor. After changing ownership several times, the factory is now part of the Indian conglomerate Tata. Following the acquisition, the Indian owners continued the tradition and brought it to their homeland, inspired by the chess boom in India. There is now also a Tata Steel Tournament held in India.

With seven participants in both the Masters and Challengers, India fields the largest contingent of players. The Masters tournament invites players from the world elite or extended elite, along with the best Dutch players. Four Indian participants belong to the world-class category: Gukesh Dommaraju, competing in his first tournament as world champion, Arjun Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu and Pentala Harikrishna. Leon Mendonca is the fifth Indian player in the Masters, having qualified by winning the Challengers last year.

The Keymer Variation - 1.Nf3 d5 2.e3

This video course features the ins-and-outs of the possible setups Black can choose. You’ll learn the key concepts and strategies needed to add this fantastic opening to your repertoire. An easy-to-learn and yet venomous weapon.

Anish Giri, Max Warmerdam and Jorden van Foreest represent the host nation. Fabiano Caruana from the USA, as the world number two, is the rating favourite. German chess enthusiasts are pleased to see Vincent Keymer participating. Though no longer a youth player, he is hopefully still on his way up.

Also competing are Wei Yi from China, Alexey Sarana, now playing under the Serbian flag, Alexey Fedoseev, now competing under the Slovenian flag, and last but not least, Nodirbek Abdusattorov from Uzbekistan - a strong and interesting field. The tournaments in Wijk aan Zee are known for never being dull, thanks to the organisers' skilful selection of participants.

Saturday's opening day saw three decisive games in the Masters. Harikrishna, Gukesh and Keymer secured victories.

Gukesh Dommaraju

Gukesh achieved victory with the help of a chess miracle, as Giri missed a mate in a winning position and lost the game. Keymer had a tactical battle with Mendonca in a trendy line of the Two Knights Defence and emerged victorious. Harikrishna's win against Arjun was also remarkable.

Sunday continued in a similar vein, with three more decisive games. The 18-year-old Mendonca suffered his second loss, this time against Abdusattorov. Praggnanandhaa won the all-Indian duel against Harikrishna.

The third victory of the day came from Fabiano Caruana against Jorden van Foreest. The Dutch player responded to Caruana's London System with an interesting concept (a knight on h6) and had the initiative after the opening. However, in the critical moment, Van Foreest failed to find the best solution, and the game took a different turn.

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.

Interview with Caruana

Vincent Keymer appears to have set himself the goal of playing very complex games at this tournament in Wijk, perhaps even unintentionally on Sunday.

Keymer's opening against Warmerdam brought little for the German number one, and as the game progressed, he found himself in trouble. Analysis by the live engine showed a significant advantage for the Dutchman. However, Keymer demonstrated what sets great players apart: i.e. immense resilience in defence. His efforts were rewarded in the endgame despite being in a losing position.  

Keymer, Vincent2733

½–½

Warmerdam, Max2646

87th Tata Steel Masters 2025 Wijk aan Zee19.01.2025

1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 c5 3.e3 g6 4.Bb2 Nf6 5.c4 dxc4 6.bxc4 Bg7 7.Be2 0-0 8.0-0 b6 The so-called Keymer Opening is nothing more than a Queen's Indian Defence with colours reversed. 9.d3 Bb7 10.Nbd2 A long time ago, there continued: 10.Nc3 Nc6 11.a3 Qd7 12.Qc2 Ne8 13.Rad1 Nc7 14.h3 Rfd8 15.Ne4 f6 16.d4 cxd4 17.exd4 Na5 18.d5 e5 19.Bc3 f5 20.Nc5 bxc5 21.Bxa5 Re8 22.Rb1 Ba6 23.Bxc7 Qxc7 24.Ng5 Qa5 25.Ne6 Bf6 26.f3 Rab8 27.Bd3 Rxb1 28.Rxb1 Bc8 29.g4 Bxe6 30.gxf5 Bc8 31.fxg6 e4 32.gxh7+ Kh8 33.Bxe4 Bxh3 34.Qh2 Bd4+ 35.Kh1 Bd7 36.Qh4 Qc3 37.Qg5 Be3 38.Qg6 Qe5 39.Rb7 Qe7 40.Kg2 Bd4 41.d6 Qd8 1/2-1/2 (41) Pirc, V - Szabo, L Amsterdam 1954 10...Nc6 11.Ne5 Qc7 11...Nxe5 12.Bxe5 Qd7 13.Qc2 Rfd8 14.Qb2 would favour White. 12.f4 This manoeuvre is also known from the Queen's Indian Defence. Rad8 13.Qb3 Ne8 14.Ndf3 Na5 15.Qc2 Nd6 16.e4 f6 17.Ng4 Nc6

White has not achieved much with the opening. 18.Rae1 Nf7 White must deal with his f-pawn and decides to go forward. 19.f5 gxf5 20.exf5 Kh8 21.Qb3 Qd7 The f-pawn remains weak. 22.Ne3 Bh6 23.Nd5 Nd6

23...Qxf5? would be premature: 24.Ne5 24.g4 Not a move one plays willingly. After 24.Nh4 Bd2 White can try to alleviate the pressure with a sacrifice of the exchange: 24...Bg5 25.Nf3 25.Qd1 25.Rd1 Bg5 26.Nf3 Nxf5 27.Nxg5 Nfd4-+ 25...Bxe1 26.Qxe1 Ne5 27.Bxe5 fxe5 28.Bh5 Bxd5 29.cxd5 Nf7 with some compensation. 24...Rg8 25.Nh4 Nb4 White is under significant pressure. 26.Bf3 26.Nxb4?? Be3+-+ 26...Nxd5 27.cxd5 Rg7 Avoiding 27...Nxf5 28.Nxf5 Qxf5 29.h3 which would lead to exchanges of pieces. 28.Re6 28.Ng2!? 28...Nf7?!

More precise was 28...Nc8-+ 29.Rc6? With 29.Rfe1 Ng5 30.d6 White could have obtained good counterplay, though the lines are complicated. Nxe6 30...exd6 31.Bxb7 Qxb7 32.Re8++- 31.dxe7 Nd4 31...Rxe7 32.fxe6 Qc7 33.Bxb7 Qxb7 34.Bxf6++- 32.exd8Q+ Qxd8 33.Bxd4 cxd4 34.Bxb7 Be3+ 35.Kh1 Rxb7 36.Qe6= 29...Be3+ 30.Kh1 Bxc6 The most accurate sequence was 30...Bd4 31.Bxd4 Bxc6 32.Bxf6 exf6 33.dxc6 Qxd3 34.Qxd3 Rxd3 35.Be4 Rd8+- 31.dxc6 Qxd3 31...Qc7! with the idea 32.-- Nh6+- 32.Qxd3 Rxd3 33.c7 Nd6 34.Ng2 Bd4 35.Bc1 e5?!

This move relinquishes part of Black's advantage in the complicated position. A White passed pawn appears on the e-file and proves troublesome. 35...Rg8-+ 36.Nf4 Rxf3 37.Rxf3 Rxg4 36.fxe6 Rxc7 37.Nf4 The rook on d3 has no safe squares. Rxf3 37...Rc3? 38.Nd5= 38.Rxf3 Re7 39.Rf1 Nc4 40.Re1 Ne5 Black has two extra pawns but faces practical challenges in converting them. 41.Kg2 Re8 42.h3 Ng6 43.Nxg6+ 43.Nh5!? with the trap Be5 44.Rd1 Rxe6 45.Rd8+ and mate. 43...hxg6 44.h4 With the option of creating another passed pawn on the h-file. b5 45.Bf4 Kg7?! More direct was 45...a5 and advancing the a and b-pawns. 46.Bd6 a5 46...c4!? 47.e7 Kf7 48.Kf3 Better was 48.h5!? gxh5 49.gxh5 a4 50.Rc1 50.h6? b4 51.h7 b3 52.axb3 axb3 53.Kf3 b2 54.Kf4 Kg6 55.Rh1-+ 50...b4 51.Bxc5 Bxc5 52.Rxc5 Rxe7 53.Rb5= 48...c4?! 48...a4!? e.g.: 49.Rc1 b4 50.Ke4 a3 51.Bxc5 Bb2 52.Rf1 b3 53.Bxa3 Bxa3 54.axb3 Rxe7+ 55.Kd3 Rb7+- 49.h5 gxh5 50.gxh5 Bc3 51.Re2?! 51.Rb1 Ke6 52.Rd1 Bb2 53.h6 c3 54.Bf4 Ba3 55.Rd3= 51...b4 52.h6 b3? Correct was advancing the a-pawn: 52...a4 and then 53.-- b3 to win. 53.axb3 cxb3 54.Ba3 Kg6 Now the endgame is no longer winning for Black. 55.Rh2 Kh7 56.Kg4 Be5 57.Rh1 Kg6 58.h7 f5+ 59.Kf3 a4 60.Ke3 Kf7 61.Rh5 Kg6 62.Rh1 Bf6 63.Kd3 Rc8 64.Rc1 Re8 65.Rh1 Kf7 66.Rf1 Kg6 67.Rh1 ½–½

With 1½ points after two rounds, Keymer is now part of the five-player leading group in the Masters.

Round 2 results

Standings

All games

Challengers: Seven players share the lead

In recent years, the Challengers tournaments at Wijk aan Zee have often been even more entertaining than the Masters tournaments, primarily due to the wider range of playing strength among participants. This year, young German player Frederik Svane was invited to compete. Like Keymer, Svane has recently left the junior ranks but was one of the world's top juniors in his time. He is now ranked second in the German standings, behind Keymer. On Saturday, he drew against Challengers regular Erwin L'Ami. On Sunday, he outplayed the very young Argentine Faustino Oro. 

Svane, Frederik2664

1–0

Oro, Faustino2447

87th Tata Steel Challengers 2025 Wijk aan Zee19.01.2025[Schulz,A]

1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 Be7 8.Bd3 0-0 9.Nge2 Ne8 The main line arises after 9...Re8 10.Qc2 Nbd7 11.0-0 Ne4 11...Nf8 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Rae1= 10.Bg3 Nd6

In the Exchange Variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined, the d6-square is considered an ideal spot for the black knight. From here, it hinders the minority attack with b4-b5 and can reach the squares c4, e4 and f5. 11.Qc2 Re8 12.0-0 a5 Aimed against the minority attack with b2-b4. The main move is 12...Bf8 as in a game by Rasmus Svane. 13.Rae1 a5 14.Kh1 Na6 15.a3 Nc7 16.Ng1 b5 17.Nf3 Nc4 18.Ne5 Nxe5 19.Bxe5 Bd6 20.Bxd6 Qxd6 21.Rc1 Ne6 22.Ne2 Bd7 23.Bf5 h5 24.Bxe6 Qxe6 25.Nf4 Qh6 26.Nd3 h4 27.Ne5 h3 28.Nxd7 hxg2+ 29.Kxg2 Re4 30.Ne5 Re8 31.Qxc6 Qg5+ 32.Kh1 Re6 33.Qa8+ Kh7 34.Qh8+ 1-0 (34) Svane,R (2629)-Moussard,J (2600) Chess.com INT 2024 13.Rad1 Bf8 14.h3 14.a3 Nd7 15.h3 Nf6 16.Be5 Nfe4 17.Bxe4 dxe4 18.Ng3 f5 19.Nce2 Nf7 20.f3 exf3 21.Rxf3 Nxe5 22.dxe5 Qe7 23.Nxf5 Qxe5 24.Neg3 Bxf5 25.Nxf5 Rad8 26.Rdf1 Rd7 27.Qc4+ Kh7 28.Qc2 Kg8 29.Qc4+ Kh7 30.Qc2 1/2-1/2 (30) Nisipeanu,L (2615)-Moussard,J (2686) Germany 2022 CBM 211 [Moussard,Jules] 14...Nd7 15.Kh1 Nf6 16.Be5 Nd7 17.Bf4 Nf6 18.Ng3 b5 19.Nb1 Qb6 20.Nd2

White abandons the usual plans in this variation and instead focuses on manoeuvring pieces in the centre and along the semi-open c-file. 20...Ba6 21.Rc1 Rac8 22.Nf5 Nde4 23.Bxe4 dxe4 24.Bd6 b4 25.Bxf8 Kxf8 25...Bxf1?? 26.Bc5+- 26.Rfd1 Bd3 27.Qc5+ Qxc5 28.Rxc5

The a-pawn can no longer be defended. Black can only delay the loss of the pawn, but not prevent it, leading to a lost rook endgame. 28...Nd7 29.Rxa5 Ra8 30.Nb3 Rxa5 31.Nxa5 Ra8 32.Nxc6 Rxa2 33.Nxb4 Rxb2 34.Nxd3 exd3 35.Kg1 Rb3 36.g4 Nb6 37.Nd6 Na4 38.Ne4 Ke7 39.Ra1 Nc3 39...Nb6 40.Nc5 Rc3 41.Rd1+- 40.Nxc3 Rxc3 41.Kf1 The advanced d-pawn cannot be held by Black for long. Ke6 42.Ke1 Rb3 43.Ra6+ Kd5 44.Ra5+ Ke6 45.Re5+ Kd6 46.Kd2 g6 46...Rb2+ 47.Kxd3 Rxf2 48.Rf5+- 47.f4 Rb2+ 48.Kxd3 Rh2 49.f5 g5 49...Rxh3 50.fxg6 fxg6 51.Ke4 Rg3 52.Kf4 Rg1 53.Ra5+- 50.Ra5 Rxh3 51.Ra6+ Ke7 52.d5 Rg3 53.f6+ Kd7 54.Ra7+ Ke8 55.Re7+ 55.Re7+ Kf8 55...Kd8 56.Rxf7+- 56.d6+- 1–0

Svane is ranked third in the starting list and is therefore among the favourites for potential qualification to the Masters. Ahead of him are the strong Czech player Thai Dai Van Ngyuen and Uzbek Nodirbek Yakubboev. Both also scored 1½ points in the first two rounds. Special attention is also put on 16-year-old Turkish player Ediz Gürel. He won in the first round, but lost on Sunday to Benjamin Bok.

Master Class Vol.16 - Judit Polgar

In this video course, experts (Pelletier, Marin, Müller and Reeh) examine the games of Judit Polgar. Let them show you which openings Polgar chose to play, where her strength in middlegames were, or how she outplayed her opponents in the endgame.

Four women are enriching the tournament. Lu Miaoyi and Vaishali Rameshbabu scored full points in round one. Divya Deshmukh and Irina Bulmaga lost their games on Saturday. On Sunday, Divya managed to take half a point from one of the favourites, Ngyuen. Lu and Vaishali drew their game, while Bulmaga lost to L'Ami.

Divya Deshmukh

Round 2 results

Standings

All games

Links

• Official website
• Wei Yi brilliantly wins Tata Steel Masters in blitz playoff (2024)
• Anish Giri wins Tata Steel Masters after late twist (2023)
• Magnus Carlsen grabs eighth title in Wijk aan Zee (2022)
• Van Foreest beats Giri in Armageddon, wins Tata Steel Masters (2021)