Gukesh Draws with Niemann in Prague Chess Opener After Early Scare

• World champion D Gukesh drew with Hans Moke Niemann in the first round of the Prague International Chess Festival.
• Gukesh, playing white, survived anxious moments after Niemann sacrificed a piece early in a Berlin Defense.
• The draw was the only one in the 10-player Masters section, where all other white pieces triumphed.
• Defending champion Aravindh Chithambaram lost to Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and top-seeded Vincent Keymer was defeated by Jorden van Foreest.
• In the Challengers section, Divya Deshmukh drew, while Surya Shekhar Ganguly lost his match.