Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has impressively topped the rapid section of the St. Louis Rapid and Blitz tournament, significantly boosting his chances for a coveted spot in the Grand Chess Tour finals.
Key Points
- Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa secured first place in the rapid section of the St. Louis Rapid and Blitz tournament.
- Praggnanandhaa scored 12 points out of a possible 18, maintaining a one-point lead despite a final-round loss.
- His strong performance keeps him in contention for a spot in the prestigious Grand Chess Tour finals.
India's Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa topped the rapid section of the St. Louis Rapid and Blitz, scoring 12 points out of a possible 18 to keep his hopes alive for a place in the Grand Chess Tour (GCT) finals to be held later this year.
The Indian, who is no longer a part of 2026 World Championship, displayed some immaculate technique and the will to win in the rapid section that spanned over nine rounds in this annual edition that is a part of professional chess for several years now.
Praggnanandhaa's Dominant Rapid Performance
Praggnanandhaa lost the ninth and final round in the rapid section to Dutch GM Jorden van Foreest but still managed to retain a one-point lead, finishing ahead of Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov, who will challenge D Gukesh in the World Championship title showdown later this year.
However, the GCT's last rapid and blitz event is not just based on the rapid section but there are 18 more blitz games to be played before the winner is determined for the US$ 200,000 prize pool out of which $50,000 goes to the champion.
Had Praggnanandhaa defeated van Foreest, he would have entered the blitz section with a more comfortable lead, a margin that could have proved crucial in his pursuit of the overall title.
Upcoming Blitz Section
Four wins, each worth two points, and four draws helped Praggnanandhaa finish atop the standings with 12 points despite a solitary loss in the final round. With the rapid section behind him, the Indian will now turn his attention to the 18-game blitz segment, where each win carries one point.
Sindarov is followed by Wesley So of the US on 10 points followed by a pack of four players -- Levon Aronian of United States, Anish Giri of Holland, Cuban-turned-American Leinier Dominguez Perez and Vincent Keymer of Germany -- who all have nine points apiece and will fancy their chances in the faster version of the game.
While Sindarov remains a huge threat being just a point behind Praggnanandhaa, Keymer is the other Grandmaster who can make anyone bite the dust when he is in good form.
The 10-players round-robin will be followed by the Sinquefield Cup which will be a Classical event.
Final Standing After Rapid:
1. R Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 12); 2. Javokhir SIndarov (Uzb, 11);3. Wesley So (USA, 11); 4-7: Levon Aronian, Leinier Dominguez Perez (USA), Anish Giri (Ned) Vincent Keymer (Ger) 9 each; 8-9; Fabiano Caruana (USA), Jorden Van Foreest (Ned) 8 each; 10. Awonder Leong (USA, 5).
