The Super Chess Classic commenced with an all-drawn first round on Thursday. Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa faced Alireza Firouzja from France in a gripping match that showcased a complex middlegame after a quiet start with the Queen’s Gambit Declined. Though Praggnanandhaa was a pawn down at one point, an error by Firouzja led to a balanced rook-and-pawn endgame, resulting in a draw. Other notable matches included Maxime Vachier-Lagrave drawing with Anish Giri, where Giri had a slight advantage but opted for safety. Javokhir Sindarov struggled against Deac Bogdan-Daniel, who navigated the game into a known drawing line. Lastly, Fabiano Caruana and Jorden Van Foreest also ended their game in a draw. The Super Chess Classic features ten players competing over nine rounds, with a total prize pool of $350,000, including $100,000 for the winner.