D Gukesh, the newly crowned world chess champion, managed to rescue a draw against his greatest opponent, GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, in round 6 of the Tata Steel Chess Masters 2025 at Wijk aan Zed in the Netherlands. Despite Abdusattorov’s strong position for much of the game, Gukesh showed amazing persistence in clawing his way back and securing half a point, extending his impressive record of overcoming difficult situations.
The highly anticipated game saw Abdusattorov, who has been in brilliant form throughout the tournament, seize an early lead with a sequence of clever plays. Former world champion Magnus Carlsen, who was providing commentary for Chess24 at the time, criticised Gukesh’s plan as a “spectacular failure.” However, Carlsen was eager to compliment Abdusattorov’s precision. The competition between the two young grandmasters, which began at the 2022 Chennai Olympiad, heightened the game’s intensity.
D Gukesh’s loss to Abdusattorov effectively ended India’s chances of winning the gold medal in that competition, with the Uzbek team taking first place instead. This history brought extra drama to their encounter in Wijk aan Zed. Abdusattorov opened the game with a glare at Gukesh before making his first move. Despite being under pressure for most of the match, Gukesh, who recently dethroned compatriot Arjun Erigiasi to become the highest-ranked Indian chess player.
D Gukesh’s Tactical Misfire
At fourth in the latest FIDE rankings, found a way to defend tenaciously and keep the game going. Gukesh admitted his early problems in his post-game reflections. Despite his regret in failing to convert his advantage, Abdusattorov is still in the lead, tied with GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu. Gukesh remains a strong competitor as the competition nears its conclusion, trailing only by half a point.
Carlsen said, “I was under pressure for the whole game, I think I misplayed in the opening. I defended pretty well. I’m sure he had some chances but it was always finding some tricks to stay in the game.” This is Gukesh’s second draw of the tournament after turning around a tough game against Anish Giri in the first round.
