India, Feb. 3 -- The Tata Chess Masters concluded thrillingly on Sunday, with R Praggnanandhaa emerging victorious against D Gukesh to secure the title under dramatic circumstances. Both players suffered defeats in their Round 13 matches at Wijk aan Zee, with the reigning world champion succumbing to India’s No. 2, Arjun Erigaisi, while Praggnanandhaa was defeated by Vincent Keymer, who had previously assisted Gukesh during last year's World Championship.

The title was ultimately decided through a blitz playoff tie-breaker, as Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh were tied at the top. Gukesh initially won the first game, but Praggnanandhaa responded with remarkable resilience, claiming victory in the subsequent two encounters.

The outcome ignited a frenzy on social media, as Gukesh appeared poised to clinch the title but faltered in the final rounds. At one point, he was the sole leader. Renowned five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand took to X to commend Praggnanandhaa on his achievement.

"Indian chess winter at Wijk! Congratulations to @rpraggnachess on winning his first @tatasteelchess event in Wijk aan Zee. The final day was not reflective of his usual performance. He played several brilliant games, but yesterday he was outplayed, then tenaciously defended a seemingly lost position. Unfortunately for him, after nearing the goal of a draw, he made another blunder. @DGukesh had lost earlier to Arjun, leading to the rare scenario of both title contenders losing their games and proceeding to the tiebreak. @WacaChess," he stated.

In the tiebreaker, @rpraggnachess initially lost the first game but subsequently triumphed in the next two, securing the title of champion for 2025. Considering the challenges he faced, merely persevering was an extraordinary accomplishment, he remarked.

Anand also made a pointed comment regarding Praggnanandhaa, highlighting that he has claimed the prestigious title five times (1989, 1998, 2003, 2004, and 2006). This remark echoed a line from his recent viral advertisement featuring Gukesh, where he stated, "Mere pass panch hai .. IYKYK!"

In addition, he paid homage to Gukesh, noting, "@DGukesh concluded his tournament with a loss that did not reflect his overall performance in the event, and for the second consecutive year, he faced defeat in the tiebreak. Nevertheless, this performance, following his world title victory, demonstrates that he remains as driven as ever! @WacaChess @tatasteelchess."

Gukesh is likely to have numerous regrets, particularly regarding his Round 13 loss to Arjun, which was decidedly one-sided. The tiebreaker has not proven to be his strong suit, as evidenced by the events of Sunday.

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