Indian Grandmaster
On the final day of the tournament, Praggnanandhaa maintained his unbeaten streak, which played a crucial role in his victory at this concluding event of the
Dominant Performance in Rapid and Blitz
Praggnanandhaa's journey to the title included a narrow victory in the rapid section, where he finished just one point ahead of Sindarov. In the blitz segment, he lost only one game, ultimately accumulating 11.5 points out of a possible 18. Sindarov, who trailed Praggnanandhaa by a point after the rapid games, ended the tournament in second place with 22 points, while Wesley So from the United States secured third with a total of 20 points.
The withdrawal of French player Alireza Firouzja from the GCT has also worked in Praggnanandhaa's favor, as Firouzja's points were removed due to scheduling conflicts. This development has allowed the young Indian player to gain a more favorable position in the rankings. As he prepares for the Sinquefield Cup, Praggnanandhaa is keenly aware that finishing in the top three would mark another significant achievement, following his earlier victory at the Norway Chess tournament against Magnus Carlsen.
Reflections on Victory
Expressing his joy over the win, Praggnanandhaa stated, "I am super happy with the result and overall about the game quality. This is the first major rapid and blitz victory, so I'm really happy about it." He extended his gratitude to his team and family for their unwavering support. With the Sinquefield Cup just around the corner, he noted, "There is not much time to rest, and it's also the event before the GCT final. It's going to be really exciting."
The final standings of the tournament were as follows: 1. R Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 23.5); 2. Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb, 22); 3. Wesley So (USA, 20.5); 4. Levon Aronian (USA, 19); 5-7. Fabiano Caruana (USA), Lenier Dominguez Perez (USA), Jorden Van Foreest (Ned) each with 17; 8. Anish Giri (Ned, 15.5); 9. Vincent Keymer (Ger, 14.5); 10. Awonder Leong (USA, 14).
