Eighteen-year-old chess grandmaster (GM) R Praggnanandhaa, the second Indian player to reach the finals of the FIDE Chess World Cup, lost to world number one player Magnus Carlsen after putting up a tough fight in the first two classical games on Thursday, August 24. The duo played the final tie-breaks on Thursday, after the first two games on Tuesday and Wednesday ended in a draw. Carlsen defeated Praggnanandhaa in the two consecutive rapid games, and won his first Chess World Cup.
The tie-breaker games which took place in the 25+10 format (25 minutes for each player to complete the game with 10 seconds bonus time per move) were in favour of Carlsen who defeated the Indian in both the games after 34 and 21 moves respectively.
The competition was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, where Praggnanandhaa and Carlsen played Game 2 of the final on Wednesday, which ended in a draw after 21 moves. Earlier on Tuesday, the first game of the final also ended in a draw after 35 moves.
Praggnanandhaa is only the second Indian chess player to enter the semi-finals of the World Cup, after Viswanathan Anand in 2002. After the World Cup, the teen grandmaster will compete in the Candidates event in 2024. This tournament will decide who will compete against the current world chess champion, Ding Liren.
Praggnanandhaa grew up in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. He picked up chess when he was just two years old. He developed an interest in the game because of his older sister Vaishali, who began playing when she was six years old. Vaishali went on to become a grandmaster in 2018 and an international master in 2021.
Speaking of his qualification to the finals, Praggnanandhaa had told PTI, “I didn’t expect to play Magnus in this tournament at all because the only way I could play him was in the final, and I didn’t expect to be in the final. I will just try to give my best and see how it goes!”
This will not be the first time that Praggnanandhaa is going up against Magnus Carlsen. Earlier in 2022, the youngster not only played against but also beat Carlsen in an online competition lasting 39 moves. In all, Praggnanandhaa has faced Carlsen 19 times before this, with six games ending in a draw and Carlsen winning eight games, according to Hindustan Times.
Ahead of the final, several politicians and sportspersons had extended their support and wishes to the 18-year-old.
At Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, where the competition is underway, four Indian GMs – Praggnanandhaa, D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi and Vidit Santosh Gujrathi – made it to the quarterfinals in a field of over 250 players.
Praggnanandhaa is the runner-up of the 2023 FIDE World Cup!
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) August 24, 2023
Congratulations to the 18-year-old Indian prodigy on an impressive tournament!
On his way to the final, Praggnanandhaa beat, among others, world #2 Hikaru Nakamura and #3 Fabiano Caruana! By winning the silver… pic.twitter.com/zJh9wQv5pS