Gukesh Becomes World No. 3; Praggnanandhaa Stuns Caruana at Tata Steel Chess 2025

A historic day for Indian chess as Gukesh Dommaraju secures the third spot in world rankings, while R Praggnanandhaa defeats top-seed Fabiano Caruana.

February 1, 2025: India’s dominance in the chess world was on full display at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2025 in Wijk aan Zee. Gukesh Dommaraju, the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, achieved another milestone by becoming World No. 3. Meanwhile, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa delivered a spectacular upset against top-seed Fabiano Caruana, making it a memorable day for Indian chess enthusiasts.

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Gukesh Secures World No. 3 Spot

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Facing reigning champion Wei Yi of China, Gukesh managed a solid draw in a tense encounter. Opening with the King’s Pawn, Gukesh navigated a complex Italian Game, eventually forcing a draw in the endgame phase. With this result, Gukesh not only retained his lead in the Masters standings with 8/11 points but also overtook Caruana in the live ratings with 2793.2 Elo points.

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Praggnanandhaa’s Stunning Win

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Praggnanandhaa’s masterclass against Caruana was the highlight of the round. Playing with the black pieces, he neutralized Caruana’s English Opening and gradually seized control. A critical error by Caruana on move 32 allowed Pragg to deliver a devastating attack, clinching the game in just 37 moves.

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Other Notable Performances

• Leon Luke Mendonca secured his first win, defeating Vladimir Fedoseev, the “giant killer” of the tournament.
• Pentala Harikrishna recorded his third victory by outplaying Alexey Sarana.
• Divya Deshmukh shone in the Challengers section, defeating Irina Bulmaga.

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Masters Standings (Top 3):

1. Dommaraju Gukesh – 8.0 points
2. Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa – 7.5 points
3. Nodirbek Abdusattorov – 7.5 points

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Challengers Standings (Top 3):

1. Erwin l’Ami – 8.0 points
2. Thai Dai Van Nguyen – 7.5 points
3. Aydin Suleymanli – 7.5 points

Indian chess continues to rise, with its young prodigies redefining global rankings and competition dynamics.

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Tags:

Tata Steel Chess 2025, Gukesh Dommaraju, R Praggnanandhaa, Fabiano Caruana, Chess Masters, Indian Chess Prodigies, World Chess Rankings, Chess Tournament Highlights