Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands – The 2025 Tata Steel Chess Masters, often dubbed the “Wimbledon of Chess,” reached a critical juncture in Round 5, delivering upsets and significant movements on the leaderboard. The day concluded with a shake-up at the top, featuring a new joint leader, a World Champion gaining vital ground, and a surprising upset.
Gukesh Grinds Out Crucial Win
World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh secured a hard-fought victory against Vincent Keymer, the very player who served as his second during his recent World Championship triumph. This encounter was a lengthy affair, stretching over six hours and culminating after 72 moves. Gukesh obtained a material advantage – a pawn – relatively early, following a tactical misstep by Keymer on move 22. Despite the advantage, converting it into a win against a tenacious opponent proved to be a protracted task. Keymer defended resourcefully, even navigating beyond the 40th move into the time increment. However, Gukesh`s persistent pressure, coupled with a couple of late inaccuracies from Keymer, finally allowed the World Champion to secure the full point. The win brings Gukesh to within half a point of the leaders, keeping his ambition of winning this prestigious tournament very much alive. As Gukesh himself put it, “For any chess player winning Tata Steel is one dream… A grandmaster has to win Wijk aan Zee before dying!”
Abdusattorov Joins Pragg at the Summit
While Gukesh was busy with his marathon game, a change occurred at the very top of the standings. R Praggnanandhaa, who held the sole lead entering the round, played a cautious and largely uneventful game against Max Warmerdam, resulting in a quiet draw. This opened the door for Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who seized the opportunity with a sharp victory over Jordan van Foreest. Playing with the black pieces, Abdusattorov demonstrated excellent tactical awareness, navigating away from standard preparation early in the game. His play was marked by aggression and accuracy, notably involving a rook sacrifice to complement Van Foreest`s earlier knight sacrifice, ultimately securing the advantage and the win in 47 moves. Abdusattorov`s decisive play earned him a full point, drawing him level with Praggnanandhaa. Both players now sit atop the leaderboard with 4 points out of a possible 5.
Upset and Other Results
Round 5 also delivered a significant upset: Vladimir Fedoseev defeated the higher-rated Fabiano Caruana. This unexpected result saw Fedoseev join the chasing pack alongside Gukesh, both now trailing the leaders by only half a point at 3.5. Elsewhere, Arjun Erigaisi managed to stem his recent run of losses by drawing against compatriot Leon Luke Mendonca. While Erigaisi showed attacking intent early on, he couldn`t create a decisive advantage, leading to a draw that sees both players still looking for their first win. Pentala Harikrishna and Wei Yi also agreed to a relatively early draw after Harikrishna declined complex lines offered by Wei Yi. Anish Giri and Alexey Sarana concluded the round with another draw.
Standings After Round 5
Following the dramatic events of Round 5, the top of the Tata Steel Masters leaderboard looks as follows:
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov: 4 points
- R Praggnanandhaa: 4 points
- Dommaraju Gukesh: 3.5 points
- Vladimir Fedoseev: 3.5 points
- Pentala Harikrishna: 3 points
- Wei Yi: 3 points
- Alexey Sarana: 3 points
- Fabiano Caruana: 2.5 points
- Vincent Keymer: 2.5 points
- Anish Giri: 2.5 points
- Max Warmerdam: 2 points
- Jordan van Foreest: 1.5 points
- Leon Luke Mendonca: 1.5 points
- Arjun Erigaisi: 1.5 points
*Note: Standings based on narrative description and updated points after Round 5 results.*
With a rest day ahead, players will regroup before the crucial middle rounds. The upcoming clash between joint leader Abdusattorov and World Champion Gukesh promises to be particularly intriguing and could further reshape the race for the prestigious Tata Steel Masters title.
Tristan Blackwood