NEW DELHI: Anish Giri, the Dutch No.1 and a home favourite at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament, faced a heartbreaking start to the 2025 edition of the Masters in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.
A tense opening-round match against the newly crowned World Chess Champion, D Gukesh, took an unexpected turn, culminating in a viral moment that left the chess world buzzing.
The game began with Giri showcasing his signature sharp play and an early advantage despite wielding the black pieces.
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By the 15th move, he appeared in control. However, a critical lapse—his queen’s move to b6—proved disastrous. Gukesh pounced on the error with a stunning counter play, repositioning his queen to f6. What initially seemed to be a mere trade evolved into a devastating blow for Giri, as Gukesh’s pawn capture forced a sequence that Giri could not recover from.
The tension peaked in a moment that encapsulated Giri’s dismay. As the position unravelled on the board, Anish, agitated by the blunder, visibly slumped back in his chair and heaved a deep, disappointing sigh.
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His subsequent moves only hastened his downfall, culminating in a resigned handshake that marked Gukesh’s spectacular opening victory.
For the 18-year-old Gukesh, the triumph was an emphatic start to his campaign. Despite an exhausting schedule that included receiving the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award and a grand felicitation in India mere days earlier, Gukesh seemed undeterred by jetlag or the lack of recent practice.
“I just landed in Amsterdam at 9 am and played around 2 pm, so it was a new experience, but it went well!” said Gukesh post-match. His effortless domination of a seasoned opponent highlighted the form that secured his World Champion title against Ding Liren last month.
Giri, meanwhile, must regroup quickly as he next faces India No. 1 Arjun Erigaisi, while Gukesh moves forward to face Russian chess grandmaster Vladimir Fedoseev in Round 2 on Sunday.
