Tata Steel Masters: Gukesh loses to Bluebaum, Erigaisi draws

Wijk Aan Zee (The Netherlands) (PTI): World champion D Gukesh endured another setback at the Tata Steel Masters, going down to Germany's Matthias Bluebaum in the ninth round, while Arjun Erigaisi was held to a quick draw by American Hans Moke Niemann.

World Cup winner Javokhir Sindarov settled for a draw with sole leader and fellow Uzbek Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who stayed in command with six points.

Sindarov was joined in second place by Dutchman Jorden van Foreest on 5.5 points, half a point ahead of Niemann, with four rounds remaining in the tournament.

Gukesh and Erigaisi continue to struggle, stuck on four points each, with the world champion enduring another heartbreaking result with the white pieces.

Opting for a King's Pawn game, Gukesh essayed the Bishop's Opening, a line rarely seen at elite level in recent times. Bluebaum responded confidently, generating counterplay from the outset and producing an imaginative sequence that saw Gukesh's light-squared bishop trapped by his own pieces.

The initiative was in the favour of the German and he played fearlessly to win a rook for a minor piece after which it was just a matter of a few moves. Gukesh resigned on his 37th turn.

The day’s most impressive game came from former champion Jorden van Foreest. The Dutchman, long regarded as his country's best performer after Anish Giri, showcased his best form of the year.

Vincent Keymer of Germany learnt the same at his own expense as Jorden launched a huge assault against his king right from the early stages of the middle game arising out of an irregular queen pawn game.

Foreest sacrificed a piece in the middle of the board to rip the position apart and then continued attacking black’s king with all his might till Keymer caved in. The game lasted just 26 moves.

Erigaisi played the white side of an English opening wherein his attempts to complicate matters as per his preference did not materialise once again in the tournament.

After a decent start, the top-seeded player here has been struggling and it wasn't a tough guess for Niemann who has played some really outstanding games here.

The opening fizzled out with black giving up the right to castle in favour of quick development and Erigaisi realised very soon that it could be dangerous to hope for something out of nothing.

The chess engines had predicted a draw by repetition, and the players confirmed it in just 22 moves.

Results Round 9: D Gukesh (Ind, 4) lost to Matthias Bluebaum (Ger, 5); R Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 3) playing Aravindh Chithambaram (Ind, 2.5); Anish Giri (Ned, 4) playing Vladimir Fedoseev (Slo, 4.5); Arjun Erigaisi (Ind, 4) drew with Hans Moke Niemann (Usa, 5); Javokhir SIndarov (Uzb, 5.5) drew with Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb, 6); Jorden van Foreest (Ned, 5.5) beat Vincent Keymer (Ger, 4); Thai Dai Van Nguyen (Cze, 3) playing Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (Tur, 4.5).