Tata Steel Chess Masters 2025 Playoff: Praggnanandhaa Triumphs Over Gukesh in a Positional Masterclass

Published on: January 18, 2025

The Tata Steel Chess Masters 2025 Playoff delivered a thrilling battle between Praggnanandhaa R and Gukesh D, two of India’s brightest young superstars. With high stakes on the line, Praggnanandhaa demonstrated superb positional play, excellent endgame technique, and unwavering patience to outmaneuver Gukesh in a strategic battle arising from the London System.

Opening: The London System – A Solid but Sharp Approach

Praggnanandhaa began the game with 1. d4 d5, steering the game into a London System setup—one of the most solid yet flexible openings in modern chess. With 3. Bf4, White avoids the highly theoretical closed structures of d4-based openings, aiming for long-term positional play rather than immediate tactical skirmishes.

Gukesh, as expected, challenged White’s center early:

• 4...c5 – A direct break, aiming to unbalance the structure.
• 5...Bd6 – Placing the bishop on an active diagonal before committing to further central expansion.

Middlegame: Praggnanandhaa Takes Control with Positional Mastery

As the game transitioned into the middlegame, Praggnanandhaa’s piece coordination and understanding of structural play took center stage.

• 12. Nbd2 – Completing development and keeping flexible central control.
• 14. Rfd1 – Seizing the d-file, ensuring long-term positional dominance.
• 16. Kf1 – A classic endgame concept: activating the king early.

Endgame: Praggnanandhaa’s Masterful Conversion

With the queens off the board and rooks exchanged, Praggnanandhaa entered a superior endgame, where his knight outshone Gukesh’s bishop.

• 27. Nxa3 Bxa3 – White’s knight dominated, while Black’s bishop struggled to find meaningful play.
• 29. Bb8 Nc8 – Black’s knight was forced into passivity, giving White complete control.
• 35. Bxd6 Nxd6+ – A critical simplification that led to a completely winning knight vs. bishop endgame.
• 41. Kc5 f5 – Black desperately tried to create counterplay, but White’s dominance was clear.

Play through the Game

Key Takeaways from Praggnanandhaa’s Victory

• Strategic Control from the Opening: Praggnanandhaa's early queen trade led to a long-term positional edge.
• Knight Superiority in the Endgame: White’s knight dominated, restricting Black’s bishop.
• King Activity is Key in Endgames: Praggnanandhaa’s king activation (Kf1 → Ke2 → Kc4) was crucial.
• Flawless Endgame Technique: Every move had a clear purpose, restricting Black’s counterplay.

This was a textbook positional victory from Praggnanandhaa, reinforcing his status as a world-class endgame technician. For another thriller, check the game between Arjun and Fedosev at the Tata Steel 2025 here. Stay tuned as we continue to analyze more critical games in the chess world.