R. Praggnanandhaa Triumphs at Grand Chess Tour St. Louis Rapid and Blitz
Praggnanandhaa Secures Victory
File image of veteran chess player R. Praggnanandhaa(Photo: @TheKhelIndia/X)
St. Louis, Aug 7: Indian chess prodigy R. Praggnanandhaa has successfully captured the Grand Chess Tour St. Louis Rapid and Blitz title, achieving this feat with one round remaining.
The title was secured after a draw against Javokhir Sindarov in their final matchup, allowing the 20-year-old grandmaster to finish the tournament with an impressive total of 23 points out of 35.
Sindarov finished in second place with 22 points, showcasing a remarkable performance throughout the event, while Wesley So took third with 20.5 points.
Levon Aronian ended in fourth place with 19 points, and Fabiano Caruana, Leinier Dominguez, and Jorden van Foreest shared fifth with 17 points each.
For his victory, Praggnanandhaa earned $50,000 and 13 Grand Chess Tour points, thus avoiding a playoff scenario. This win propelled him to second place in the Grand Chess Tour standings, just ahead of the upcoming Sinquefield Cup, while Fabiano Caruana continues to lead the overall standings.
Throughout the five-day competition, Praggnanandhaa maintained his lead, although Sindarov made a strong push in the final rounds, ultimately finishing 1.5 points behind.
Earlier in June, Praggnanandhaa made headlines by becoming the first Indian to win the prestigious Norway Chess title.
The 2026 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz event featured ten elite grandmasters competing at the Saint Louis Chess Club from July 31 to August 7. Over five days, participants engaged in nine rapid rounds and eighteen blitz rounds, totaling 135 games, all while vying for crucial Tour Points ahead of the Sinquefield Cup and GCT Grand Finals.
The tournament format included a 9-round single round-robin Rapid tournament, played with a time control of 25 minutes plus a 10-second increment from move one, and an 18-round double round-robin Blitz tournament, played at 5 minutes plus a 2-second increment from move one.
In this format, Rapid wins are awarded 2 points, draws 1 point, while Blitz wins earn 1 point and draws 0.5 points.