Tournament favourite R Praggnanandhaa secured a comfortable win against Czech Republic's Nguyen Thai Dai Van during the third round of the Prague Masters on Friday.
Praggnanandhaa's quick victory featured a Nimzo Indian defence, which he described as "just a position to play".
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
After two drawn matches in the initial rounds, this victory was crucial for the Indian grandmaster, and he delivered it with remarkable finesse.
"Yesterday was nothing; in the first roundm I had a good position," Praggnanandhaa said, reflecting on his performance thus far.
In the middle game phase, Dai Van found himself defending despite having an extra pawn advantage, while Praggnanandhaa navigated through the position's intricacies effortlessly.
The critical turning point occurred on the 14th move when Praggnanandhaa secured a clear advantage, and while the game had several variations afterwards, the outcome remained certain.
