Tactical Triumph: Gukesh Upsets Giri in Tata Steel Masters

World Champion D Gukesh launched the Tata Steel Masters on a high note by defeating Anish Giri after a tough game. Despite arriving just before the game, Gukesh secured a win in 42 moves. Harikrishna and Vaishali also bagged victories while other matches ended in draws or losses for other Indian players.

In a thrilling opening round at the Tata Steel Masters, world champion D Gukesh defeated seasoned player Anish Giri from Holland in a tense encounter. Despite his late arrival due to receiving the Khel Ratna in India, Gukesh showed resilience and tactical brilliance, overcoming a potentially losing position to secure victory in 42 moves.

Other notable performances included P Harikrishna leveraging his white pieces to outsmart Arjun Erigaisi in a game of technical supremacy. In a challenging match, Leon Luke Mendonca narrowly lost to Vincent Keymer after allowing his advantageous position to slip.

While R Praggnanandhaa fought hard to draw against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, defending champion Wei Yi settled for a draw against Fabiano Caruana. In the challengers' section, R Vaishali bagged a strong win against Oro Faustino, boosting her campaign in the competition.

(With inputs from agencies.)