Tata Steel Masters 2024: Gukesh defeats Wei Yi, shares second spot

D. Gukesh punished China’s Wei Yi for a tactical error and raced away to a resounding 33-move victory with black pieces in the second round of the Tata Steel Masters chess tournament at Wijk Aan Zee, near Amsterdam, on Sunday.

The victory placed Gukesh (1.5 points) in the joint second spot behind leader Alireza Firouzja (2).

Vidit Gujrathi continued his impressive campaign by holding Anish Giri to a draw, much like R. Praggnanandhaa did against Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

In the Challengers’ section, Leon Mendonca and D. Harika drew their games but Divya Deshmukh surrendered to Ukraine’s Anton Korobov. Mendonca stayed among five leaders at 1.5 points.

The results (second round):

Masters: Anish Giri (Ned, 1.5) drew with Vidit Gujrathi (1); Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb, 1) drew with R. Praggnanandhaa (1); Wei Yi (Chn, 1) lost to D. Gukesh (1.5); Ian Nepomniachthi (FIDE, 1.5) drew with Ju Wenjun (Chn, 0.5); Alireza Firouzja (Fra, 2) bt Parham Maghsoodloo (Iri, 0.5); Ding Liren (Chn, 1) drew with Alexander Donchenko (Ger, 0.5), Jorden van Foreest (Ned, 0) lost to Max Warmerdam (Ned, 1).

Challengers: Leon Mendonca (1.5) drew with Marc Andria Maurizzi (Fra,1); D. Harika (1) drew with Daniel Dardha (Bel, 1); Anton Korobov (Ukr, 1) bt Divya Deshpande (0.5); Jaime Santos Latasa (Esp, 1.5) drew with Saleh Salem (UAE, 1.5); Hans Moke Niemann (USA, 1.5) drew with Mustafa Yilmaz (Tur, 0.5); Stefan Beukema (Bel, 1.5) bt Eline Roebers (Ned, 0); Liam Vrolijk (Ned, 0.5) drew with Erwin L’Ami (Ned, 1).