Tata Steel Masters: Gukesh joint-second, Erigaisi suffers defeat in fifth round
World Champion D. Gukesh registered his first win while top seed Arjun Erigaisi lost in the fifth round of the Tata Steel Masters in Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands, on Wednesday.
After four straight draws, Gukesh got his maiden victory by taking down Czechia’s Thai Dai Van Nguyen with black pieces. The result took Gukesh to within half a point of the leaders.
Erigaisi slipped to third as he went down to Slovenia’s Vladimir Fedoseev.
Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov, who won last year’s FIDE World Cup, joined USA’s Hans Niemann and Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov at the top as he beat Turkiye’s Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus while Niemann and Abdusattorov played a draw against each other.
Reigning champion R. Praggnanandhaa’s quest for a first win continued after he was held to a draw by Dutchman Anish Giri.
Aravindh Chithambaram, the fourth Indian in the 14-player field, lost to Germany’s Vincent Keymer.
In the sixth round on Friday, Erigaisi faces Germany’s Matthias Bluebaum, Gukesh will be up against Abdusattorov, Praggnanandhaa will take on Fedoseev and Aravindh will play against Sindarov.
Round 5 Results (Indians unless specified)
Arjun Erigaisi (2.5) lost to Vladimir Fedoseev (Slo, 3); Anish Giri (Ned, 1.5) drew with R Praggnanandhaa (1.5); Jorden van Foreest (Ned, 3) drew with Matthias Bluebaum (Ger, 2.5); D. Gukesh (3) beat Thai Dai Van Nguyen (Cze, 1.5); Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb, 3.5) drew with Hans Niemann (USA, 3.5); Vincent Keymer (Ger, 2.5) beat Aravindh Chithambaram (1.5); Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb, 3.5) beat Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (Tur, 2)
Published on Jan 22, 2026