Day 2 of the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid tournament in Kolkata was dominated by a moment of high drama and confusion that has ignited a fierce debate across the global chess community. The incident occurred during the sixth round, featuring Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa and American grandmaster Wesley So, culminating in a controversial draw decided with just one second left on the clock.
The Dramatic Incident: A Race Against Time
The controversy unfolded as Praggnanandhaa, in a complex position, advanced a pawn dangerously close to promotion. However, in a critical realization, he understood that he did not have enough time to physically complete the promotion move—advancing the pawn to the last rank and replacing it with a queen—before his clock ran out. With mere moments remaining, Praggnanandhaa chose to stop the chess clock to seek the arbiter's assistance.
Initial reactions from commentators and spectators suggested that Wesley So would be awarded a victory on time, as Praggnanandhaa's flag was about to fall. However, following a lengthy discussion among the tournament officials, the arbiters made a surprising ruling: the game was declared a draw. This decision immediately became the focal point of intense scrutiny.
Arbiter's Criticism and Rulebook Scrutiny
The ruling faced strong criticism from prominent figures in the chess world. Well-known international arbiter Chris Bird publicly questioned the officials' interpretation on social media platform X. Bird cited the specific FIDE rule, 6.11.2, which states a player may pause the clock "only in order to seek the arbiter’s assistance, for example when promotion has taken place and the piece required is not available."
Bird argued that since the pawn promotion was never physically executed, this rule was not applicable. "Should have been ruled a loss," Bird wrote, emphasizing that no promotion had actually taken place, making the arbiter's intervention, in his view, incorrect.
Tournament Action: Anand's Comeback and Standings
Away from the controversy, the tournament continued to deliver top-tier chess. Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand demonstrated his legendary resilience. After suffering an early loss in Round 4 against Arjun Erigaisi—a game where a rook blunder cost him a winning position—Anand mounted a strong comeback. He secured victories against Hans Niemann and Volodar Murzin to climb up the standings.
Anand's efforts placed him in a joint lead with Nihal Sarin, both players accumulating 4.5 points after six rounds. Nihal Sarin enjoyed an excellent run, winning three consecutive games. He capitalized on errors from Niemann and Murzin before showcasing impressive endgame technique to defeat compatriot Vidit Gujrathi.
In the women's section, Kateryna Lagno led the standings with 4.5 points. Among the Indian contenders, Vantika Agrawal held fifth place with three points, while seasoned players like Harika Dronavalli, R Vaishali, and Rakshitta Ravi remained in close contention.
The Tata Steel Chess India Rapid in Kolkata has certainly lived up to its reputation for excitement, blending world-class play with moments of high-stakes controversy that keep the chess world talking.
