On February 2, 2025, Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa made history by defeating World Champion D Gukesh in an exciting tiebreaker at the Tata Steel Masters 2025 in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. Praggnanandhaa’s victory secured him the prestigious title, making him the first Indian since Vishwanathan Anand in 2006 to win the top prize at Tata Steel Masters.

The final showdown between Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh ended in a thrilling tiebreaker, with both players finishing the 13th and final round with 8.5 points each. The drama continued as both young players claimed victories in every tiebreaker match leading up to the final round. Gukesh, who had been unbeaten throughout the tournament, suffered his first classical defeat as World Champion when he lost to Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi in 31 moves.

Praggnanandhaa also faced a tough challenge, as he was defeated by Vincent Keymer in a remarkable display of technique on the final day. On February 2, Gukesh won the first game of the two-game blitz tiebreaker, needing only a draw in the second game to claim the title. However, Praggnanandhaa made a stunning comeback, winning both blitz games and defeating the World Champion to claim the prestigious title.

After the victory, Praggnanandhaa shared his thoughts, saying:

"Maybe I should do something for Arjun, right? I didn't really expect it (Arjun to beat Gukesh). At one point, it felt like Gukesh was really better. When I saw the result of (Gukesh vs Arjun), I had already made a wrong move and was in such a tough position that I couldn't do anything except defend. I practically didn't think I had a chance in my position."

He also mentioned, "When I came here, I wanted to win this competition. But the field was very strong. I really didn't think much about it until yesterday. I can't really express it... I'm really happy."