 "'Can’t say happy, but okay': Gukesh reflects on first half after surviving Duda scare at Sinquefield Cup")
Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh showed great resilience as he escaped from a difficult position to draw against Poland’s Jan-Krzysztof Duda in the fifth round of the 2025 Sinquefield Cup. The 19-year-old world champion was under pressure in the middle game but managed to fight back and secure half a point after 45 moves.
Speaking to broadcasters after the game, Gukesh admitted he was not fully satisfied with his tournament so far. “Can’t say happy, but okay. Fifty percent is a decent score. I just hope to get some wins in the second half,” he said.
Asked about his plans for the rest day, Gukesh said, “Nothing yet, but I guess I’ll take some time, relax, maybe play some sport or something, probably pickleball. It’s easier. Tennis is too difficult.”
Meanwhile, R Praggnanandhaa had an easy day as he drew with Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in just 26 moves. Praggnanandhaa faced no real problems despite playing with black pieces.
All five games of the round ended in draws. American GM Fabiano Caruana stayed in sole lead with 3.5 points after he drew with Wesley So. Levon Aronian drew with Alireza Firouzja, while Samuel Sevian continued his good run with a draw against Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
At the halfway mark, Caruana leads the field with 3.5 points. Praggnanandhaa and Aronian are close behind with 3 points each. Gukesh, Firouzja, So, Sevian, and Vachier-Lagrave are packed together on 2.5 points. Duda has 2 points while Abdusattorov remains at the bottom with 1.
Meanwhile, both Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa are looking to book a place in the 2025 Grand Chess Tour finals. They must secure a top four finish in the final GCT standings to qualify for the Brazil event, which is slated to be held in late September.
Sinquefield Cup 2025: Round 5 results
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave drew with R Praggnanandhaa
Duda Jan-Krzysztof drew with D Gukesh
Fabiano Caruana drew with Wesley So
Samuel Sevian drew with Nodirbek Abdusattorov
Levon Aronian drew with Alireza Firouzja
Sinquefield Cup 2025: Standings
| Rank | Player | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fabiano Caruana | USA | 3.5 |
| 2 | Levon Aronian | USA | 3.0 |
| 3 | R Praggnanandhaa | India | 3.0 |
| 4 | Wesley So | USA | 2.5 |
| 5 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | France | 2.5 |
| 6 | Sam Sevian | USA | 2.5 |
| 7 | Alireza Firouzja | France | 2.5 |
| 8 | D Gukesh | India | 2.5 |
| 9 | Jan-Krzysztof Duda | Poland | 2.0 |
| 10 | Nodirbek Abdusattorov | Uzbekistan | 1.0 |
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