Delhi, 14 May (H.S.): After six rounds of the Superbet Chess Classic Romania 2025, the tournament remains competitive with four players tied for first place: GMs Alireza Firouzja, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Fabiano Caruana, and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, following a decisive round where Firouzja defeated World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, who finds himself in last place with only 2/6 after his second loss. Round seven is scheduled for Wednesday, May 14, starting at 8:30 a.m. ET / 14:30 CET / 6:00 p.m. IST.

The draw between Caruana and GM Bogdan-Daniel Deac stood out for its intrigue. Deac showed impressive defense under time pressure, briefly appearing lost. The round also featured a quick 10-move game where Vachier-Lagrave faced an unexpected opening and opted for a draw against GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, as he was unwell and wanted to minimize risks.

In the game between Caruana and Deac, Caruana employed a pre-prepared opening move, 5.Qa4, aiming to put pressure on Deac, who tends to overthink in openings. The game developed into a complex middlegame, with Caruana sacrificing a knight but ultimately sharing the lead at +1 after Deac's resilient defense.

Firouzja's match against Gukesh, described as the Game of the Day, highlighted both players' mistakes, but it was Gukesh's final error in an endgame that handed Firouzja the victory. Firouzja acknowledged spending too much time and underestimating Gukesh's defenses.

Gukesh encountered a bishop vs. rook endgame that should have been drawable but made a critical error with 53.Bg5??. Firouzja noted that Gukesh likely believed it to be a theoretical draw, mistaking the necessary bishop for a white-colored one. Despite this slip, Firouzja, who has had strong positions throughout the tournament, celebrated his first win since round one, stating he felt deserved victory in all his games except against Fabiano, declaring, now it's a fair result. The 18-year-old reigning world champion, Gukesh, has had a tough tournament, currently sitting in last place. GM Peter Svidler remarked on Gukesh's poor performance, asserting it's unlikely to persist, citing his stability and skill.

In another match, Duda and Praggnanandhaa drew. Praggnanandhaa appeared to have a promising position after Duda's 12.b4, identified as a pivotal moment. Despite gaining a queen for Gukesh's rook and knight, Praggnanandhaa couldn't secure the win and settled for a draw.

Meanwhile, GM Wesley So's game against GM Levon Aronian began with 1.c4, transitioning into a Queen's Gambit Declined Ragozin Variation. Aronian opted for an aggressive strategy with the risky 8...h5, which So countered with 9.Be5. Nonetheless, both players remained cautious, leading to a drawn outcome via perpetual check. So acknowledged Aronian's preparation, highlighting the challenge in executing a successful opening against such a seasoned player.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar