Round 6 of the prestigious Tata Steel Chess Masters in Wijk Aan Zee unfolded largely as a day of defensive holds, though not without its share of tension and one notable exception to the widespread peace treaties. The headline act featured World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh, who navigated perilous waters to secure a crucial draw, maintaining his position near the top of the leaderboard.
Gukesh faced Nodirbek Abdusattorov in a game where the Uzbek player pressed hard and appeared to build a significant advantage through the complex middlegame. However, demonstrating the resilience expected of a champion, Gukesh mounted a stubborn and effective defense. His ability to find resources in a difficult position ultimately frustrated Abdusattorov and secured the half-point needed to stay firmly in contention, just half a point behind the leaders.
The top of the standings saw no change in hierarchy as R Praggnanandhaa, the other co-leader, also settled for a draw against Wei Yi. This result left Praggnanandhaa and Abdusattorov tied at the summit, with Gukesh hot on their heels. The prevalence of draws across the board meant that players aiming to leapfrog their rivals found opportunities scarce.
Indeed, six out of the seven games concluded with the points being split. The solitary decisive result of Round 6 came courtesy of Alexey Sarana, who defeated Vladimir Fedoseev. This was a significant win for Sarana and halted the momentum of Fedoseev, who had been enjoying a strong run in the tournament thus far. Sarana, seemingly not receiving the memo about the day of draws, demonstrated precise play to claim the full point.
Among other notable players, Fabiano Caruana drew his game against Arjun Erigaisi. For Erigaisi, this result continued a challenging start to the tournament, leaving him seeking his first victory and situated towards the bottom of the current standings. The remaining Indian participants, Pentala Harikrishna and Leon Luke Mendonca, also recorded draws against their Dutch opponents, Jordan van Foreest and Max Warmerdam respectively.
Round 6 reinforced the tight competition at the Tata Steel Masters. While leaders held their ground through draws, Gukesh`s defensive escape highlighted the fine margins at this elite level, ensuring the race for the title remains incredibly close heading into the next round.
Round 6 Results
| Player 1 | Score | Player 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Dommaraju Gukesh | 0.5-0.5 | Nodirbek Abdusattorov |
| R Praggnanandhaa | 0.5-0.5 | Wei Yi |
| Arjun Erigaisi | 0.5-0.5 | Fabiano Caruana |
| Vincent Keymer | 0.5-0.5 | Anish Giri |
| Pentala Harikrishna | 0.5-0.5 | Jordan van Foreest |
| Leon Luke Mendonca | 0.5-0.5 | Max Warmerdam |
| Alexey Sarana | 1-0 | Vladimir Fedoseev |
Standings After Round 6
- R Praggnanandhaa: 4.5 points
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov: 4.5 points
- Dommaraju Gukesh: 4 points
- Vladimir Fedoseev: 3.5 points
- Pentala Harikrishna: 3.5 points
- Alexey Sarana: 3.5 points
- Fabiano Caruana: 3 points
- Vincent Keymer: 3 points
- Wei Yi: 3 points
- Anish Giri: 2.5 points
- Jordan van Foreest: 2 points
- Max Warmerdam: 2 points
- Leon Luke Mendonca: 1.5 points
- Arjun Erigaisi: 1.5 points
