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Nodirbek Abdusattorov still has a narrow lead as the “chess Wimbledon” at Tata Steel Wijk aan Zee heads into its final three rounds this weekend, but the Uzbek, 21, is battling to stay ahead of a quintet of rivals after being held to two draws and a loss in his last three games.
Leading scores after 10 of the 13 rounds are Abdusattorov 6.5, Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbekistan), Matthias Blübaum (Germany) and Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands) 6, Hans Niemann (US) and Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (Turkey) 5.5. The world champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, is among three players on 5.
Erdogmus, 14, has already set multiple age records. He is the best 12, 13 and 14-year-old in chess history. He is the youngest ever 2600-rated player, and is now closing in on the 2700 mark, where he would beat the previous records set by China’s Wei Yi at 15 years, nine months and Magnus Carlsen at 16 years, four months.
He has a wealthy sponsor, and is coached by the elite GM Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. His playing style is a well-organised mix of strategy and tactics, and he has already played the “Turkish Immortal” game at the 2025 Fide Grand Swiss. Erdogmus looks increasingly like a player who will dominate world chess in the 2030s.
On Wednesday, for a brief moment, it could have been even better. In his game with Gukesh, Erdogmus missed a beautiful hidden win at move 28 which would have taken him into a share of the tournament lead and also made him the youngest ever to defeat a reigning world champion.
Erdogmus has his own characteristic stance when seated at the board, which commentator Simon Williams called his “death sway”. Long ago in the mid-20th century, the English master and author Gerald Abrahams had a similar action, but Abrahams swayed from side to side in a Talmudic shuckling movement which was irreverently nicknamed the “runaway rocking horse”.
As for Gukesh, he has become a player of ups and downs, with all of his last six games, three wins and three losses, ending decisively. The most crushing down was against the tournament leader.
Gukesh blundered fatally by 36…Rg5?? allowing 37 Qxf6+ and 38 Qxg5+, winning a rook with check. The decisive moment was caught on video, as the grief-stricken Indian buried his head in his hands and could not bear to look at the board.
Two days on, after also losing his next game, then winning in fine style in round eight, Gukesh took a more philosophical view. He said: “I cannot explain what happened. These kinds of blunders are easier to handle than something you can explain. So this just happens. Shit happens!”
The worst blunder by a reigning world champion was probably when Vladimir Kramnik allowed checkmate in one by the computer Deep Fritz in their 2006 match, played during the few years when humans and chess engines were of approximately equal strength.
After 10 of the 13 rounds in the Challengers, whose winner qualifies for the 2027 Masters, four players have broken clear of the field: Aydin Suleymanli (Azerbaijan) leads with 8, followed by Andy Woodward (US) and Marc’Andria Maurizzi (France) 7.5, and Vasyl Ivanchuk (Ukraine) 7. The youngest competitor, Argentina’s Faustino Oro, 12, has 5.
Round 11 pairings on Friday include Woodward v Maurizzi and Suleymanli v Ivanchuk. Ivanchuk, the 56-year-old former world No 2, sparked controversy when he used both hands to promote a pawn to queen and was not penalised for an illegal move under Fide rules.
Wijk aan Zee continues daily at 1pm GMT. The 13th and final round, including any required playoff for first prize, will be on Sunday. Games can be followed live and free on lichess, chess.com, and the official site, where the commentators are England’s GM Simon Williams and IM Jovanka Houska.
4009: 1 Rxg7+! Kxg7 2 Nh5+ Kh6 3 Qxf6+ Kxh5 4 g4+! Kxg4 5 Rd4+ Kh5 6 Rh4 mate.
