India's D Gukesh secured a thrilling victory in his first game since becoming the World Chess Champion in mid-December. Gukesh defeated Anish Giri on Saturday in his opening round of Tata Steel Masters at Wijk aan Zee in the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, Gukesh's Olympiad teammate R Praggnanandhaa drew his opening game against Uzbek GM Abdusattorov Nodirbek. However, young Indian GM Leon Luke Mendonca suffered a painful defeat to German Vincent Keymer, after blundering from a winning position.

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Gukesh clinched his unlikely victory from the verge of defeat after his Dutch opponent blundered under time pressure. He had lost his first game in the World Chess Championship to China's Ding Liren before famously making a comeback.

Giri had Gukesh in a corner, with his pieces strategically positioned to deliver a smothered checkmate. However, the former World No. 3 miscalculated and made sub-par moves. But credit to Gukesh for holding his nerves under pressure.

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Once Gukesh had managed to neutralise the position, the tables were turned because Giri had thrown open his position in his attempt to checkmate Gukesh. After the queens were exchanged, Giri had a knight and a bishop, and Gukesh had a rook; more importantly, the young Indian had a passed pawn (a pawn that has no opposing pawns on the sides to prevent its march). After 41 moves, Giri realised his position was lost and resigned.

Gukesh had only landed in the Dutch village a few hours before the game. A day before the event, 18-year-old Gukesh was in New Delhi to receive the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, India's highest sporting honour. Gukesh is India's second men's world champion after Viswanathan Anand. World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen is not participating in the Tata Steel Masters.

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