Gukesh Slips to Third Place, Praggnanandhaa Loses in Tata Steel Chess India 2023

Indian youngsters Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa suffered setbacks on a challenging day in the rapid open section of the Tata Steel Chess India 2023.

Gukesh, who was the overnight leader, slipped to third place after losing to Vidit Gujrathi. Praggnanandhaa also lost to Pentala Harikrishna, leaving no Indian players in the lead.

Gukesh had a good start to the day, beating Andrey Esipenko and Levon Aronian. However, he was unable to maintain his form against Gujrathi, and lost after a long struggle.

Praggnanandhaa also had a mixed day. He started with a win over Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, but then lost to Harikrishna. He drew his last two games against Anish Giri and Richard Rapport.

The top three in the standings are now Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France, followed by Vidit and Levon Aronian of Armenia. Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa are in fifth and sixth place, respectively.

The tournament is still in its early stages, and there is still plenty of time for the Indian youngsters to make a comeback. However, they will need to improve their performances if they want to challenge for the title.

The Tata Steel Chess India is one of the most prestigious chess tournaments in the world. It is held annually in Kolkata, India, and attracts some of the best players in the world. The tournament is played in two phases: the classical section and the rapid open section. The classical section is a 14-round Swiss tournament, while the rapid open section is a 10-round Swiss tournament.