Nodirbek Abdusattorov defeated Matthias Bluebaum to take a half-point lead into the final round of the 2026 Tata Steel Chess Masters. Javokhir Sindarov drew quickly with Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, remaining half a point behind, while Vincent Keymer, Hans Niemann, and Jorden van Foreest stay one point back. In the Challengers, Aydin Suleymanli joined Andy Woodward at the top with nine points.
In the penultimate round of the 88th Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, the Masters section saw three decisive results that tightened the race for the title. Nodirbek Abdusattorov, playing white, surprised Matthias Bluebaum in the opening and capitalized on a tactical error at move 31 to secure a 1-0 victory, reaching eight points from 12 games. "My plan for today’s game was to get a big fight," Abdusattorov said, reflecting on his approach after recent draws.
Javokhir Sindarov, tied with Abdusattorov entering the round, opted for a 14-move draw by repetition against Praggnanandhaa in a Queen's Gambit Declined, preserving his 7.5 points and positioning him as the primary challenger. This decision came after 18 minutes of thought, forgoing a slightly better position to focus on the final round.
Vincent Keymer continued his resurgence with a win over Thai Dai Van Nguyen in a Petroff Defence, converting a queenless endgame for his third straight victory and seven points total. Hans Niemann escaped a lost position against world champion Gukesh Dommaraju, who blundered a knight sacrifice into a drawable endgame after 63 moves, also reaching seven points. Jorden van Foreest pressed early against Arjun Erigaisi but settled for a 36-move draw, joining the chasing pack at seven.
Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, the 14-year-old Turkish grandmaster, rebounded from two losses by checkmating Vladimir Fedoseev with a pawn after sparkling tactics, earning 6.5 points. Aravindh Chithambaram and Anish Giri drew after 52 moves.
In the Challengers, Aydin Suleymanli defeated Marc'Andria Maurizzi in a wild attack to tie Andy Woodward at nine points, with Woodward drawing Velimir Ivic in 31 moves using solid preparation. Vasyl Ivanchuk drew Faustino Oro, staying half a point back at 8.5 and still in contention for a Masters spot next year.
The final round on February 1 starts at noon CET, with no direct clashes among the top contenders. Abdusattorov faces Arjun with black; a win secures the title, a draw likely forces a playoff with Sindarov.