Praggnanandhaa holds Van Foreest with black to stay unbeaten in Super Chess Classic Romania

Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa held GM Jorden van Foreest to a draw with the black pieces in Round 4 of the Grand Chess Tour’s Super Chess Classic Romania 2026 on Sunday.

The game began as an English Opening and soon moved into a queenless middlegame, with Van Foreest trying to keep a small pull through space and piece activity. Praggnanandhaa, however, stayed compact and found counterplay with his pieces, especially after the queenside tension gave way to a more technical position.

The critical phase came after move 28, when Praggnanandhaa activated his rook and knight to keep the white king under checks. Van Foreest could not find a clear way to make progress, and the game ended in a repetition after 35. Kg1.

The result kept Praggnanandhaa unbeaten after four rounds. He had opened with a draw against Alireza Firouzja, defeated Candidates winner Javokhir Sindarov in Round 2 to end the Uzbek’s 53-game unbeaten classical streak, and then drew with Vincent Keymer in Round 3.

Published on May 17, 2026