In a dramatic conclusion to the 2025 Tata Steel Masters, R Praggnanandhaa emerged victorious after a tense tiebreaker against fellow Indian player D Gukesh. Both players finished the 13th and final round tied at the top with 8.5 points each, despite suffering surprising losses in the final round—Gukesh lost to Arjun Erigaisi, and Praggnanandhaa fell to Vincent Keymer. This set the stage for an exciting tiebreaker, where both players demonstrated their incredible skill and determination to claim the top spot.

The tiebreaker itself was filled with twists and turns. In the first game, Praggnanandhaa appeared to have equalized easily but made a blunder that cost him a full rook, allowing Gukesh to secure the win. In the must-win second game, Praggnanandhaa opted for the Trompowsky opening, and after Gukesh gained a slight advantage with the black pieces, Praggnanandhaa capitalized on an unforced error from his opponent. He patiently outmaneuvered Gukesh and seized a pawn, eventually drawing the match to 1-1.

The match then entered a sudden-death phase, where the tension reached its peak. Praggnanandhaa, playing white, faced an intense challenge as Gukesh used imaginative play to gain a pawn. Despite the odds being against him in the endgame, Praggnanandhaa displayed perfect technique to defend his position. In a dramatic turn of events, Gukesh faltered under the pressure, losing a pawn and then his final knight, ultimately giving Praggnanandhaa the opportunity to claim the full point and his first Tata Steel Masters title.