Grand Chess Tour Romania Classic 2025: Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa back in action
World Champion D. Gukesh will be the top-seeded player at the Grand Chess Tour Classic Romania, where he will have the opportunity to break the 2800 rating mark for the first time in his career. The tournament, starting on Wednesday, is the first classical event of the Grand Chess Tour this year.
Gukesh, currently ranked third in the world, faces a tough challenge, with all nine Tour participants competing together for the first time. The wildcard entry goes to Deac Bogdan-Daniel, representing the host nation.
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After finishing second at the Tata Steel Masters in January, Gukesh returns to classical chess after a break of over three months. At just 18, he has earned a reputation as a classical chess specialist, with most of his major successes coming in this format. Currently at a rating of 2787, a strong performance could see him surpass the 2800 mark.
Joining Gukesh will be fellow Indian R. Praggnanandhaa, who is also expected to be a serious contender. Praggnanandhaa, the winner of the Tata Steel Masters, enjoyed notable success in the preceding rapid and blitz events in Warsaw, where he finished third.
The field also includes several strong contenders: Fabiano Caruana of the United States, Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan, and Alireza Firouzja of France. Experienced players such as Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France and the American duo of Wesley So and Levon Aronian, and Jan-Kryzsztof Duda of Poland cannot be overlooked, given their vast experience and competitive resilience.
The nine-round event will see each participant play against every other player once, with a total prize pool of USD 350,000.
Caruana is always a consistent threat in classical chess, and should he find his rhythm, he could challenge both Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa. Meanwhile, Firouzja and Abdusattorov are known for their bold and unpredictable style, capable of taking down any opponent on their day.
Participants:
D Gukesh, R Praggnanadhaa (Ind); Fabiano Caruana, Levon Aronian Wesley So (USA); Firouzja Alireza, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra); Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb); Duda Jan Kryzsztof (Pol); Deac Bogdan Daniel (Rou).
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