Defending champion Aravindh Chithambaram roared back into contention with a crucial victory in Round 2 of the Prague Chess Festival, overcoming American Grandmaster Hans Niemann in a dramatic battle in the Masters section.
After suffering a first-round defeat to Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Aravindh needed a strong response to keep his title defence on track. He found it in style- and under pressure.
Aravindh turns the tables
Opting once again for his increasingly trusted Philidor Defence, Aravindh allowed Niemann to seize the early initiative with the white pieces. The American appeared to be pressing with confidence, and for a while the engines even evaluated his position as favourable. But as the clock ticked down, the momentum shifted.
Short on time at a critical juncture, Niemann blundered his knight on move 31- a costly mistake at this elite level. Aravindh reacted instantly, transitioning into a superior endgame.
The victory not only put him on the scoreboard but also moved him to one point from two games, keeping him firmly in the race in the 10-player, nine-round round-robin tournament.
Read More
Gukesh held to another draw
Reigning World Champion D Gukesh continued his steady start with a second consecutive draw, this time against Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Yakubboev.
The encounter featured a high-accuracy Queen’s Gambit Declined. After a sequence of exchanges led to a balanced position, Yakubboev sacrificed a rook to force a threefold repetition, and the players split the point after 30 moves.
With two draws from two white games, Gukesh stands on one point, well within striking distance as the long tournament progresses.
Read More
Other results shake up standings
In the only other decisive game of the round, Spain’s David Anton Guijarro defeated Dutch star Jorden van Foreest from the white side of a King’s Indian Defence, adding further intrigue to the standings.
After two rounds, Abdusattorov, Yakubboev and Czech stalwart David Navara share the lead on 1.5 points. A half-point behind them sit Gukesh, Aravindh, van Foreest and Guijarro.
Iran’s Parham Maghsoodloo, top seed Vincent Keymer, and Niemann are another half-point adrift.
With seven rounds still to be played, the tournament remains wide open.
Also Read: Top 6 Chess Players To Look For In 2026
Steady showing in the Challengers
In the Challengers section, India’s Divya Deshmukh continued her solid run with a draw against Spain’s Daniil Yuffa. Having also drawn her opener against Hungary’s Benjamin Gledura, Divya sits on a 50 percent score after two rounds.
Read More
The experienced Surya Shekhar Ganguly opened his account with a draw against Denmark’s Jonas Buhl Bjerre, stabilising his campaign after a difficult start.
