Day 2 of the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid in Kolkata was marked by a controversial incident that sparked widespread debate. During Round 6, R Praggnanandhaa found himself in severe time trouble against Wesley So. With only one second left on the clock, Praggnanandhaa advanced a pawn near promotion but realised he lacked time to complete the promotion process. He stopped the clock and asked for assistance, leading to confusion among spectators and commentators, many of whom expected Wesley So to be awarded a win on time. However, after deliberation, the arbiters ruled the game a draw.

The decision drew criticism from prominent arbiter Chris Bird, who argued that the rules were misapplied. He pointed out that stopping the clock is permitted only after a promotion has occurred, which was not the case here, and stated that the game should have been ruled a loss for Praggnanandhaa.

Beyond the controversy, the tournament featured high-level performances. Viswanathan Anand recovered impressively from an earlier defeat, winning crucial games against Hans Niemann and Volodar Murzin to share the lead with Nihal Sarin on 4.5 points. Nihal also impressed with consistent victories, including a strong endgame win over Vidit Gujrathi.

In the women’s event, Kateryna Lagno led the standings, while several Indian players remained competitive after six rounds. (With inputs from Agencies)