World Champion Gukesh Defeats Abdusattorov in Sinquefield Cup

At the Sinquefield Cup, reigning world chess champion D Gukesh rebounded from an opening loss to defeat former world rapid champion Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the second round, showcasing strong strategic play. Gukesh's victory moved him into joint fourth place alongside top competitors including Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Meanwhile, Alireza Firouzja of France delivered a commanding endgame performance against Jan-Krzysztof Duda, earning a shared lead with R Praggnanandhaa and Levon Aronian, each holding 1.5 points after two rounds. Praggnanandhaa drew his game with Caruana, and Aronian drew with Samuel Sevian, maintaining their spots atop the leaderboard. The tournament, part of the Grand Chess Tour with a $375,000 prize pool, continues to highlight the rising Indian talent alongside established grandmasters. Upcoming rounds will see Gukesh face Sam Sevian and Praggnanandhaa challenge Abdusattorov, maintaining a strong Indian presence in the competition.