Tata Steel Chess R2: Five co-leaders

by André Schulz
1/20/2025 – Fabiano Caruana, Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu won in the second round of the Tata Steel Masters. All three of them joined the leading pack, which also includes Vincent Keymer and Gukesh Dommaraju. In the Challengers, seven players (exactly half the field) are sharing first place with 1½ out of 2 points. | Photo: Tata Steel Chess / Lennart Ootes
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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.

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.

Caruana, Fabiano28031–0Van Foreest, Jorden2680
87th Tata Steel Masters 2025
Wijk aan Zee19.01.2025[Schulz, A]
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Nc6 5.c3 Bd6 6.Bg3 Nh6!? A somewhat extravagant move, but if the knight goes to f5, it doesn't matter whether it came from e7 or h6. From h6, it can also jump to g4. The usual move is 6...Nf6 e.g.: 7.Nbd2 0-0 8.Bd3 g6 9.0-0 Bxg3 10.hxg3 Qd6 11.dxc5 Qxc5 12.e4 dxe4 13.Nxe4 Nxe4 14.Bxe4 1-0 (65) Nihal, S (2662) - Van Foreest, J (2702), Warsaw 2021. 6...Nge7!? 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Nbd2 b6 9.Qe2 Bb7 10.dxc5 bxc5 11.e4 Rb8
The position is equal. 12.e5 12.0-0 Bxg3 13.hxg3 Ng4= 12...Bc7 13.0-0 Nf5 14.Bf4 14.Bxf5 exf5 15.Nb3 g5!? 14...c4 15.Bc2 Ba6 16.Rab1 d4 Black now has the initiative. 17.Nxc4 Qd5 17...Na5!? with the possible continuation 18.b3 dxc3 19.Bxf5 exf5 20.Rbc1 Nxc4 21.bxc4 Rb2= 18.b3 dxc3 19.Rfd1 Qc5 20.Bxf5 exf5 21.Qc2=
White must withstand Black's active piece play but can target Black's weak pawns. 21...Bxc4 22.Qxc3 Bb6? Better was 22...Qb4 23.Qxc4 Qxc4 24.bxc4 and then f6= 23.Be3 Qb4 24.Qxc4 Qxc4 25.bxc4 Bxe3 26.fxe3
White's extra pawn is slightly devalued by the doubled pawns, but the strong central pawn majority remains. Caruana converts this advantage to victory effortlessly. 26...h6 26...Rfe8 27.Rxb8 Rxb8 28.Rd5 Kf8 28...Rb1+ 29.Kf2 Rb2+ 30.Kg3 g6 30...Rxa2 31.Rd6+- 31.Nd4+- 29.Rb5+- 27.Rb5 Rfc8 28.Kf2 Kf8 29.Rd6 Nd8 30.Nd4 g6 31.Rxb8 Rxb8 32.c5 Nb7 33.Rd5 Nd8 34.c6 1–0

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, Vincent2733½–½Warmerdam, 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

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1.e4 7 c5 19 2.Nf3 8 d6 16 3.Nc3 8 Nc6 35 4.d4 1:21 cxd4 6 5.Nxd4 6 Nf6 5 6.Be2 1:09 g6 22 7.Be3 1:02 Bg7 15 8.Qd2 41 0-0 36 9.0-0-0 40 d5 2:06 10.Bf3 59 dxe4 24:30 11.Nxc6 1:15 Qc7 18 12.Nxe7+ 17:38 Qxe7 11 13.Be2 24 Ng4 4:31 14.Bxg4 14:19 Bxg4 16 15.Qd6 6 Qe8 16:50 16.Rd2 10:57 Rc8 21:55 17.Bd4 22:38 Rd8 43 18.Qxd8 23 Qxd8 11 19.Bxg7 5 Qe8 4:02 20.Bxf8 5:15 e3 10 21.fxe3 3:09 Kxf8 5 22.Re1 1:46 Qe5 2:01 23.g3 22 Be6 3:56 24.a3 1:16 Kg7 52 25.Rd4 1:40 Qh5 1:34 26.Re2 58 Qf3 1:34 27.b3! 2:24 h5 5:16 28.Kb2 1:38 Qf6 43 29.a4 3:39 b6 3:35 30.Red2 6:40 Qe5 3:37 31.e4 2:10 Kh6 2:52 32.Rd6 1:10 Kg7 1:11 33.R6d4 3:27 Kh6! 4:10 34.Nd5 54 Bg4 3:19 35.Ne3 1:20 Be6 20 36.Ka2 2:09 Qg5 31 37.Nd5 40 h4 2:54 38.gxh4 1:23 Qxh4 5 39.Nc7 43 Bh3 26 40.R4d3 2:30 Bg4 1:47 41.Nb5 8:29 Qe7 1:51 42.Nd6 1:01 Qf6 15:24 43.e5 10:31 Qf1 2:24 44.Rd4 8:08 Be6 1:20 45.Rh4+ 1:06 Kg5 1:46 46.Re4 1:03 Kh6 1:55 47.Kb2 1:16 g5 4:15 48.Nb5 1:06 Bf5 4:16 49.Ree2 4:00 Bg4 26 50.Rg2 3:58 Qe1 2:11 51.Nd4 20 51.Nxa7?! Qxe5+ 52.c3 Qe1± 51...Qe4 5:10 52.Ka2 2:18 Bh5 1:18 53.Nc6! 4:16 Bg6 2:02
53...a6 54.Rd6+ Bg6 54.Ne7!+- 47 Bh5? 2:23 54...Qxe5 keeps fighting. 55.Nxg6 Kxg6 55.Ng8++- 41 Kg6 5 56.Ne7+ 2:23 56.Rd6+? Kg7 57.Rgd2 57.Rxg5+? Bg6-+ 57...Kxg8-+ 56...Kh6 8
57.h4! 2:54 g4 7 58.Ng8+ 2:06 Kg6 5:11 59.Nf6 22 Qf3 8 60.Rg1 2:30 Kh6 4:54 60...Qc3 61.Rf2 61.Rdg2 Kh6± 61...g3 61...Qxe5? too greedy. 62.Nxg4 Qd4 63.Nf6+ Kh6 64.Rgg2+- 61.Rdg2 16:13 61.Rd8 Qe2 62.Rh8+ Kg6 63.Rg8+ 63.Nxh5 Qxc2+ 64.Ka1 f5= 63...Kf5 64.Kb1 64.Nxh5 Qxc2+ 65.Ka1 Qc3+ 66.Ka2 Qc2+ 67.Ka1 Qc3+ 68.Ka2 Qc2+= 61...Qf5+- 15:06 62.Kb1 32 Inferior is 62.Nxg4+ Bxg4 63.Rxg4 Qxc2+ 64.Ka3 Qc5+ 65.Ka2 Qc2+ 66.Ka3 Qc5+ 67.Ka2 Qf2+ 68.Ka3 Qc5+= 62...Bg6 6 63.h5 28 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Harikrishna,P2695Erigaisi,A28011–02025B7287th Tata Steel Masters 20251.1
Praggnanandhaa,R2741Abdusattorov,N2768½–½2025A2187th Tata Steel Masters 20251.2
Mendonca,L2639Keymer,V27330–12025C5887th Tata Steel Masters 20251.3
Gukesh,D2777Giri,A27311–02025E0487th Tata Steel Masters 20251.4
Wei,Y2751Caruana,F2803½–½2025C6787th Tata Steel Masters 20251.5
Van Foreest,J2680Fedoseev,V2717½–½2025C4287th Tata Steel Masters 20251.6
Warmerdam,M2646Sarana,A2677½–½2025A1187th Tata Steel Masters 20251.7
Abdusattorov,N2768Mendonca,L26391–02025C0287th Tata Steel Masters 20252.1
Caruana,F2803Van Foreest,J26801–02025D0287th Tata Steel Masters 20252.2
Keymer,V2733Warmerdam,M2646½–½2025A0687th Tata Steel Masters 20252.3
Fedoseev,V2717Gukesh,D2777½–½2025D2487th Tata Steel Masters 20252.4
Harikrishna,P2695Praggnanandhaa,R27410–12025B3087th Tata Steel Masters 20252.5
Sarana,A2677Wei,Y2751½–½2025C4887th Tata Steel Masters 20252.6
Erigaisi,A2801Giri,A2731½–½2025B9287th Tata Steel Masters 20252.7
Van Foreest,J2680Sarana,A2677½–½2025B5087th Tata Steel Masters 20253.1
Wei,Y2751Keymer,V2733½–½2025C5487th Tata Steel Masters 20253.2
Praggnanandhaa,R2741Erigaisi,A28011–02025E0487th Tata Steel Masters 20253.3
Gukesh,D2777Caruana,F2803½–½2025D3887th Tata Steel Masters 20253.4
Warmerdam,M2646Abdusattorov,N27680–12025C7887th Tata Steel Masters 20253.5
Giri,A2731Fedoseev,V2717½–½2025C5587th Tata Steel Masters 20253.6
Mendonca,L2639Harikrishna,P2695½–½2025E5287th Tata Steel Masters 20253.7
Harikrishna,P2695Warmerdam,M26461–02025E0487th Tata Steel Masters 20254.1
Caruana,F2803Giri,A2731½–½2025B3187th Tata Steel Masters 20254.2
Sarana,A2677Gukesh,D2777½–½2025E0687th Tata Steel Masters 20254.3
Abdusattorov,N2768Wei,Y2751½–½2025E2487th Tata Steel Masters 20254.4
Praggnanandhaa,R2741Mendonca,L26391–02025C7787th Tata Steel Masters 20254.5
Keymer,V2733Van Foreest,J2680½–½2025D3587th Tata Steel Masters 20254.6
Erigaisi,A2801Fedoseev,V27170–12025D3587th Tata Steel Masters 20254.7
Mendonca,L2639Erigaisi,A2801½–½2025E1087th Tata Steel Masters 20255.1
Wei,Y2751Harikrishna,P2695½–½2025C1187th Tata Steel Masters 20255.2
Fedoseev,V2717Caruana,F28031–02025D3887th Tata Steel Masters 20255.3
Warmerdam,M2646Praggnanandhaa,R2741½–½2025C1087th Tata Steel Masters 20255.4
Van Foreest,J2680Abdusattorov,N27680–12025B1287th Tata Steel Masters 20255.5
Gukesh,D2777Keymer,V27331–02025D4587th Tata Steel Masters 20255.6
Giri,A2731Sarana,A2677½–½2025C5587th Tata Steel Masters 20255.7
Erigaisi,A2801Caruana,F2803½–½2025C6787th Tata Steel Masters 20256.1
Keymer,V2733Giri,A2731½–½2025D7887th Tata Steel Masters 20256.2
Sarana,A2677Fedoseev,V27171–02025D3187th Tata Steel Masters 20256.3
Abdusattorov,N2768Gukesh,D2777½–½2025C5087th Tata Steel Masters 20256.4
Praggnanandhaa,R2741Wei,Y2751½–½2025C8387th Tata Steel Masters 20256.5
Harikrishna,P2695Van Foreest,J2680½–½2025C6687th Tata Steel Masters 20256.6
Mendonca,L2639Warmerdam,M2646½–½2025D3587th Tata Steel Masters 20256.7
Wei,Y2751Mendonca,L2639½–½2025C7787th Tata Steel Masters 20257.1
Caruana,F2803Sarana,A2677½–½2025E0587th Tata Steel Masters 20257.2
Van Foreest,J2680Praggnanandhaa,R2741½–½2025B3087th Tata Steel Masters 20257.3
Giri,A2731Abdusattorov,N2768½–½2025A2987th Tata Steel Masters 20257.4
Gukesh,D2777Harikrishna,P26951–02025C0287th Tata Steel Masters 20257.5
Fedoseev,V2717Keymer,V27331–02025D4387th Tata Steel Masters 20257.6
Warmerdam,M2646Erigaisi,A28011–02025B5087th Tata Steel Masters 20257.7
Warmerdam,M2646Wei,Y27510–12025C4587th Tata Steel Masters 20258.1
Harikrishna,P2695Giri,A2731½–½2025C7887th Tata Steel Masters 20258.2
Abdusattorov,N2768Fedoseev,V2717½–½2025C4287th Tata Steel Masters 20258.3
Praggnanandhaa,R2741Gukesh,D2777½–½2025C6587th Tata Steel Masters 20258.4
Erigaisi,A2801Sarana,A2677½–½2025D3587th Tata Steel Masters 20258.5
Keymer,V2733Caruana,F28030–12025D3687th Tata Steel Masters 20258.6
Mendonca,L2639Van Foreest,J2680½–½2025D8587th Tata Steel Masters 20258.7
Van Foreest,J2680Warmerdam,M2646½–½2025D3787th Tata Steel Masters 20259.1
Sarana,A2677Keymer,V2733½–½2025E2187th Tata Steel Masters 20259.2
Gukesh,D2777Mendonca,L26391–02025C7887th Tata Steel Masters 20259.3
Caruana,F2803Abdusattorov,N2768½–½2025D0287th Tata Steel Masters 20259.4
Giri,A2731Praggnanandhaa,R27411–02025E1187th Tata Steel Masters 20259.5
Fedoseev,V2717Harikrishna,P26951–02025D0087th Tata Steel Masters 20259.6
Wei,Y2751Erigaisi,A2801½–½2025C8987th Tata Steel Masters 20259.7
Erigaisi,A2801Keymer,V2733½–½2025C8887th Tata Steel Masters 202510.1
Harikrishna,P2695Caruana,F2803½–½2025B5087th Tata Steel Masters 202510.2
Praggnanandhaa,R2741Fedoseev,V27171–02025D3287th Tata Steel Masters 202510.3
Warmerdam,M2646Gukesh,D27770–12025B2087th Tata Steel Masters 202510.4
Abdusattorov,N2768Sarana,A26771–02025B9087th Tata Steel Masters 202510.5
Wei,Y2751Van Foreest,J2680½–½2025C5587th Tata Steel Masters 202510.6
Mendonca,L2639Giri,A2731½–½2025D1287th Tata Steel Masters 202510.7
Giri,A2731Warmerdam,M26461–02025C5087th Tata Steel Masters 202511.1
Fedoseev,V2717Mendonca,L26390–12025E0487th Tata Steel Masters 202511.2
Keymer,V2733Abdusattorov,N2768½–½2025B1387th Tata Steel Masters 202511.3
Gukesh,D2777Wei,Y2751½–½2025C5587th Tata Steel Masters 202511.4
Caruana,F2803Praggnanandhaa,R27410–12025D3587th Tata Steel Masters 202511.5
Sarana,A2677Harikrishna,P26950–12025D3787th Tata Steel Masters 202511.6
Van Foreest,J2680Erigaisi,A2801½–½2025E2487th Tata Steel Masters 202511.7
Harikrishna,P2695Keymer,V2733½–½2025E0087th Tata Steel Masters 202512.1
Wei,Y2751Giri,A2731½–½2025C4287th Tata Steel Masters 202512.2
Praggnanandhaa,R2741Sarana,A26771–02025D3687th Tata Steel Masters 202512.3
Van Foreest,J2680Gukesh,D2777½–½2025D3187th Tata Steel Masters 202512.4
Erigaisi,A2801Abdusattorov,N27681–02025E3887th Tata Steel Masters 202512.5
Warmerdam,M2646Fedoseev,V27170–12025A2087th Tata Steel Masters 202512.6
Mendonca,L2639Caruana,F2803½–½2025C5587th Tata Steel Masters 202512.7
Caruana,F2803Warmerdam,M26460–12025D0487th Tata Steel Masters 202513.1
Fedoseev,V2717Wei,Y2751½–½2025E0587th Tata Steel Masters 202513.2
Abdusattorov,N2768Harikrishna,P2695½–½2025C4487th Tata Steel Masters 202513.3
Keymer,V2733Praggnanandhaa,R27411–02025B1187th Tata Steel Masters 202513.4
Gukesh,D2777Erigaisi,A28010–12025C4287th Tata Steel Masters 202513.5
Giri,A2731Van Foreest,J2680½–½2025C6787th Tata Steel Masters 202513.6
Sarana,A2677Mendonca,L2639½–½2025E4987th Tata Steel Masters 202513.7

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, Frederik26641–0Oro, 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.

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

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André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.
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