PICF 2025: Aravindh Takes the Lead

Masters

Keymer 0-1 Aravindh

Aravindh demonstrated that even an opening with a drawish reputation can be played sharply for a win. With the black pieces in the Queen's Gambit Accepted, Aravindh surprised Keymer and soon launched a dangerous attack against the white king. While the activity did not lead to an immediate win, the ensuing endgame with a pawn less was already very difficult. After a smart tactical shot 29..Re5!, the black pieces became unleashed, and Aravindh brought the game to a win.

Chithambaram Aravindh

Van Nguyen ½-½ Shankland

Sam Shankland once again revealed an original preparation when he tried to surprise Van Nguyen with the King's Indian Defense. However, just like in the first round, Van responded precisely and managed to create chances for himself.

In the position after 23...Bxb5, white had an opportunity to initiate an attack against the king on h8. After 24.cxb5, Ra8 25.Rh3! white would have good winning chances.
However, in the actual game, 25.Rxb5 was played, and after the exchange of heavy pieces, a promising-looking endgame emerged for the Czech player.

From afar, even the chess engine indicated winning chances for white. However, Shankland rightly recognized the position is a fortress. Even capturing the pawns on g6 and c7 wouldn't help white win the game. The Czech representative thus had to settle for a draw.

In the third round, critical moves before the time control decided the outcome of two games.

Shankland 0-1 Keymer

In his match against Keymer, Shankland did not find the crucial defensive move 39.c4 followed by c5.

Instead, 39.Rd1? was played, and after 39...Ra2!, white no longer had time to create counterplay with c4-c5 due to the move Rc2. Vincent Keymer did not falter in the won rook ending and recorded his second victory after three rounds.

Aravindth 1–0 Wei Yi

In a complex position before the time control, Wei Yi also stumbled when he did not find the only correct defense 38...Kg7.

Instead, 38...Qe6? led to a forced loss after 39.Qd8+, Kg7 (39...Qe8 40.Qc7 +-) 40.Rd6. The black queen must move away from defending the kingside, and its king comes under a decisive attack. Thus, Aravindh reaches sole leadership after three rounds with 2.5 points!

Praggnanandhaa 1-0 Van Nguyen

Praggnanandhaa decided to repeat the line that Magnus Carlsen unsuccessfully tried to surprise Hans Niemann with in 2022. The choice proved to be correct, as he quickly gained a decisive advantage both on the board and on the clock right from the opening.

Challengers

Desmukh 1-0 Stalmach

In the game, one inaccurate strategic decision—to close the center with 14...c4—was enough for Richard Stalmach to quickly encounter problems on the kingside. Divya Deshmukh aptly launched a pawn avalanche with the move 17.f4 and gradually converted her spatial advantage into a full point. Her play was appreciated by the spectators, and the game was voted as the best of the second round.

Dyvia Desmukh

In the second round, Jáchym Němec was unlucky to allow Kourkoulos-Arditis to escape with a draw from a lost endgame. However, he undoubtedly redeemed himself in the third round.

Salgado Lopez 0-1 Němec

His opponent did not manage the middlegame well, and the white king soon found itself besieged by enemy pieces.

Němec decided the game with the spectacular 29...Rxg2! After 30.Kxg2, Qg5+, a few accurate moves were all it took, and Salgado Lopez had to resign a move before the checkmate.
Nodirbek Yakubboev managed to win in both the second and third rounds. He first punished Maurizzi's risky refusal to repeat positions, then convincingly outplayed Divya Deshmukh. The only player to catch up with him in the standings was Jonas Bjerre, who outplayed Richard Stalmach in the third round.

Nodirbek Yakubboev

On Saturday, we can look forward to the match between the current tournament leaders, Bjerre and Yakubboev.

Official website: https://praguechessfestival.com/en/2025
Author: Richard Mládek
All photos by Petr Zewlakk Vrabec