88th Tata Steel 2026 R1: Arjun Erigaisi makes a winning start against the defending champion Praggnanandhaa

by Shahid Ahmed - 18/01/2026

The first round of 88th Tata Steel Chess started 1.5 hours after the scheduled due to demonstrations taking place outside of the venue. World no.5, Arjun Erigaisi started the event with a win over the defending champion, R Praggnanandhaa. The World no.8 opted for the Albin-Counter Gambit, possibly avoiding to reveal his Candidates preparation. He landed himself in a worse position out of the opening. Arjun had no trouble seizing his advantage and converting it into a win. World Champion, D Gukesh missed a win against FIDE World Cup 2025 winner, Javokhir Sindarov (UZB). The talented Uzbek showed great resiliency by delivering incessant checks forcing his opponent to go wrong and salvage a draw. Round 2 starts today at 2 p.m. local time, 6:30 p.m. IST for both Masters and Challengers section. Photo: Prajwal Bhat

Gukesh misses against Sindarov

Hans Niemann (USA) made a short work of Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) in just 16 moves after the latter made a simple tactical mistake. Anish Giri (NED) also made a one-move blunder against Vincent Keymer (GER) but it was in an endgame. Aravindh Chithambaram made a solid start as he drew against one of the World Championship Candidate, Matthias Bluebaum (GER). In the Challengers section, the sole Indian taking part, FM Vedant Panesar won a wild battle against the World Junior Girls Blitz Gold medalist and World Blitz Women Bronze medalist - IM Eline Roebers (NED).

Sindarov - Gukesh: 0.5-0.5

FIDE World Cup 2025 winner, Javokhir Sindarov (UZB, 2726) and the reigning World Champion, D Gukesh (2754) have played two Classical games against each other. Sindarov had won both of them in 2018 and 2022. Three and a half years later, they face each other for the third time in a Classical battle, this time with a same time control as Candidates 2026.

Position after 38...Qb7

White blundered 39.Rxa4?? under time trouble Qxb4!-+ 40.Rxb4 Rxa1+ and ideally Black should have won the game. However, Sindarov showed great resiliency and managed to salvage a draw by delivering incessant checks with his queen and throwing his opponent off balance in a losing endgame.

FIDE World Cup 2025 winner, Javokhir Sindarov (UZB) made a great escape against the reigning World Champion, D Gukesh | Photo: Prajwal Bhat

Arjun - Praggnanandhaa: 1-0

Arjun Erigaisi (2775) and R Praggnanandhaa (2758) played six Classical rated games against each other. They both won two games each and the remaining two ended in draws. Last year, Praggnanandhaa had won against Arjun in the third round at the same event. Arjun returned the favor to the defending champion in the first round. Praggnanandhaa opted for the Albin-Counter Gambit with the black pieces, possibly avoiding to reveal his Candidates preparation.

Position after 12...d3?

12...d3? was an unnecessary move 13.Qxd3 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Qxe5 15.Nf3 Qd6 16.Qb3 Be6? 17.Bxe6+- fxe6 18.Rd1 Qb6 19.Qa4+ c6 20.Qe4 and White went on to win the game in another dozen moves.

Arjun Erigaisi - R Praggnanandhaa, Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

Arjun Erigaisi capitalized on his early advantage against R Praggnanandhaa | Photo: Prajwal Bhat

Aravindh - Bluebaum: 0.5-0.5

Aravindh Chithambaram (2700) faced Matthias Bluebaum (GER, 2679) twice earlier. On both occassion, the games had ended in draws. This time also the result was the same.

Aravindh Chithambaram played a well contested draw against Matthias Bluebaum (GER) | Photo: Jurriaan Hoefsmit / Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2026

Hans Niemann (USA) on his 16-move win against Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) | Video: Tata Steel Chess Tournament

Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) went wrong early in the game against Hans Niemann (USA) | Photo: Prajwal Bhat

Interview with Vincent Keymer (GER) | Video: Tata Steel Chess Tournament

Anish Giri (NED) made a one-move blunder against Vincent Keymer (GER) | Photo: Prajwal Bhat

Challengers: FM Vedant Panesar won a wild battle against IM Eline Roebers (NED) | Photo: Prajwal Bhat

Watch Live stream

Replay Round 1 live commentary by IM Sagar Shah, Amruta Mokal and GM Harshit Raja | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Round 1 Masters games

Replay Round 1 Challengers games

Masters Round 1 results

Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	1	2658	GM	Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan	½ - ½	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	2751	14
2	2	2700	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	½ - ½	GM	Bluebaum, Matthias	2679	13
3	3	2725	GM	Niemann, Hans Moke	1 - 0	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	2705	12
4	4	2776	GM	Keymer, Vincent	1 - 0	GM	Giri, Anish	2760	11
5	5	2726	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	½ - ½	GM	Gukesh, D	2754	10
6	6	2703	GM	Van Foreest, Jorden	½ - ½	GM	Nguyen, Thai Dai Van	2656	9
7	7	2775	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	1 - 0	GM	Praggnanandhaa, R	2758	8

Details

Standings after Round 1

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	TB1
1	3	GM	Niemann, Hans Moke	USA	2725	1
	4	GM	Keymer, Vincent	GER	2776	1
	7	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	IND	2775	1
4	1	GM	Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan	TUR	2658	0,5
	2	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	IND	2700	0,5
	5	GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	UZB	2726	0,5
	6	GM	Van Foreest, Jorden	NED	2703	0,5
	9	GM	Nguyen, Thai Dai Van	CZE	2656	0,5
	10	GM	Gukesh, D	IND	2754	0,5
	13	GM	Bluebaum, Matthias	GER	2679	0,5
	14	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	UZB	2751	0,5
12	8	GM	Praggnanandhaa, R	IND	2758	0
	11	GM	Giri, Anish	NED	2760	0
	12	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir	SLO	2705	0

Details

Round 2 pairings

Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	14	2751	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek		GM	Praggnanandhaa, R	2758	8
2	9	2656	GM	Nguyen, Thai Dai Van		GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	2775	7
3	10	2754	GM	Gukesh, D		GM	Van Foreest, Jorden	2703	6
4	11	2760	GM	Giri, Anish		GM	Sindarov, Javokhir	2726	5
5	12	2705	GM	Fedoseev, Vladimir		GM	Keymer, Vincent	2776	4
6	13	2679	GM	Bluebaum, Matthias		GM	Niemann, Hans Moke	2725	3
7	1	2658	GM	Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan		GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	2700	2

Details

Challengers Round 1 results

Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	1	2605	GM	Ivanchuk, Vasyl	½ - ½	IM	Yip, Carissa	2466	14
2	2	2611	GM	Maurizzi, Marcandria	½ - ½	GM	Yuffa, Daniil	2604	13
3	3	2638	GM	Ivic, Velimir	½ - ½	IM	Oro, Faustino	2516	12
4	4	2634	GM	L'ami, Erwin	0 - 1	GM	Suleymanli, Aydin	2628	11
5	5	2497	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	1 - 0	GM	Woodward, Andy	2608	10
6	6	2398	IM	Roebers, Eline	0 - 1	FM	Panesar, Vedant	2406	9
7	7	2431	IM	Lu, Miaoyi	1 - 0	GM	Warmerdam, Max	2576	8

Details

Standings after Round 1

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	TB1
1	5	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	KAZ	2497	1
	7	IM	Lu, Miaoyi	CHN	2431	1
	9	FM	Panesar, Vedant	IND	2406	1
	11	GM	Suleymanli, Aydin	AZE	2628	1
5	1	GM	Ivanchuk, Vasyl	UKR	2605	0,5
	2	GM	Maurizzi, Marcandria	FRA	2611	0,5
	3	GM	Ivic, Velimir	SRB	2638	0,5
	12	IM	Oro, Faustino	ARG	2516	0,5
	13	GM	Yuffa, Daniil	ESP	2604	0,5
	14	IM	Yip, Carissa	USA	2466	0,5
11	4	GM	L'ami, Erwin	NED	2634	0
	6	IM	Roebers, Eline	NED	2398	0
	8	GM	Warmerdam, Max	NED	2576	0
	10	GM	Woodward, Andy	USA	2608	0

Details

Round 2 pairings

Bo.	No.	Rtg		White	Result		Black	Rtg	No.
1	14	2466	IM	Yip, Carissa		GM	Warmerdam, Max	2576	8
2	9	2406	FM	Panesar, Vedant		IM	Lu, Miaoyi	2431	7
3	10	2608	GM	Woodward, Andy		IM	Roebers, Eline	2398	6
4	11	2628	GM	Suleymanli, Aydin		GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	2497	5
5	12	2516	IM	Oro, Faustino		GM	L'ami, Erwin	2634	4
6	13	2604	GM	Yuffa, Daniil		GM	Ivic, Velimir	2638	3
7	1	2605	GM	Ivanchuk, Vasyl		GM	Maurizzi, Marcandria	2611	2