Indian players' performance nosedives at Tata Steel Chess tournament in Wijk aan Zee

The Tata Steel Chess 2026 tournament came to an exciting finish on Sunday, but it was not a happy ending for India’s top players. Uzbek Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov claimed the title after defeating Indian star Arjun Erigaisi in the final round. This win marks Abdusattorov’s first triumph at the prestigious tournament after narrowly missing out three times in the past.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who also won the London Chess Classic late last year, finished with six wins, six draws, and only one loss. His fellow Uzbek GM Javokhir Sindarov, the reigning World Cup champion, finished second, showing that Uzbekistan’s young chess talent is on the rise.

Indian players’ performance at Tata Steel Chess

For India, however, the tournament was a harsh reality check. The four stars – world champion D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, and Aravindh Chitambaram – won just six games out of 52 played. Arjun lost 30 FIDE rating points, Praggnanandhaa dropped 17, Aravindh lost 16, and Gukesh also saw a six-point drop after the tournament.

Even the best Indian finisher Gukesh managed just 6.5 points to end on joint 8th, while Praggnanandhaa, Arjun, and Aravindh were in the bottom four spots of the Masters section. This is a steep decline from last year when Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa fought for the title in a tiebreak.

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Indian players’ wins came mostly against fellow countrymen. While Arjun beat Praggnanandhaa in the opening round, Praggnanandhaa’s sole win was over Aravindh in the ninth round. Meanwhile, Gukesh and Arjun committed a few blunders throughout the event that cost them wins.

While Gukesh did not have a strong 2025 season, Arjun entered the Tata Steel Chess tournament on the back of two bronze medals at the 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Championships in Doha in December last year. Praggnanandhaa also had a solid 2025 but was unable to replicate the same form in the Netherlands.

The results of India’s top players have raised serious concerns ahead of several important tournaments later this year. While Praggnanandhaa will aim to win the Candidates and challenge for the World Championship, Gukesh is under pressure to defend his crown. The Indian players also need to defend their Olympiad title this year.