World champion D Gukesh's hopes for the Tata Steel Masters 2026 title were dashed after drawing with compatriot Aravindh Chithambaram in round 11. Fellow Indians R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi also suffered defeats, marking a tough day for the Indian contingent. Uzbek players Javokhir Sindarov and Nodirbek Abdusattorov now lead with seven points each.
The Tata Steel Masters 2026, held in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, saw a challenging round 11 for Indian players on Friday. Reigning world champion D Gukesh, with 5.5 points, played out a draw against Aravindh Chithambaram, who had four points. This result effectively ended Gukesh's chances of catching the leaders, with only two rounds remaining in the tournament.
R Praggnanandhaa, on 4.5 points, lost to Germany's Vincent Keymer, who now has six points. Arjun Erigaisi, with four points, opted for an aggressive strategy against Javokhir Sindarov but was punished, handing the Uzbek a victory and bringing Sindarov level with Nodirbek Abdusattorov at seven points atop the leaderboard. Abdusattorov secured his position with a draw against Jorden van Foreest of the Netherlands.
Other notable results included Anish Giri of the Netherlands beating Turkey's Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, both on 5.5 points; Vladimir Fedoseev of Slovenia drawing with Germany's Matthias Bluebaum; and American Hans Moke Niemann defeating Czechia's Thai Dai Van Nguyen. The competition has turned into an all-Uzbek affair at the top, with it unclear if anyone can catch them.
Looking ahead, Gukesh faces Niemann in round 12, followed by Keymer in the final round. Erigaisi will play van Foreest, Praggnanandhaa takes on Sindarov, and Chithambaram meets Giri. The four Indians trail significantly: Gukesh at 5.5, Praggnanandhaa at 4.5, Erigaisi and Chithambaram at four each.
