It was a day to remember for Indian chess fans as two of their stars shone at the Candidates Chess Tournament. Vidit Gujrathi pulled off an upset by defeating World No. 3 Hikaru Nakamura in an intense battle. Playing with black pieces, Vidit ended Nakamura's impressive unbeaten run stretching back to 2022.
In another key clash, teenage sensation D Gukesh overcame fellow Indian Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa. Starting from behind on the clock for a major part of the game, the 17-year-old showed tremendous resilience and skill to outwit his more experienced opponent.
The wins have catapulted Vidit and Gukesh up the points table in the early stages of the tournament. They will now be brimming with confidence with their momentum against strong future opponents.
The day also saw some other decisive results, in sharp contrast to many draws witnessed in the first round. All top seeds will hope to continue improving their form over the coming rounds in the battle to eventually challenge Magnus Carlsen for the World Championship.
It was certainly a day to remember for all Indian chess followers globally. The young stars have brought much cheer and pride with their impressive skills and fighting victory. Vidit and Gukesh will look to only get better from here on as their Candidate challenges progress.
