Latest news with #Praggnanandhaa
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Praggnanandhaa interview: ‘I don't think I'm trying to prove anything to anyone. I just like playing chess'
R Praggnanandhaa is on the hottest streak of his career. The UzChess Cup is the third title of 2025 he has claimed after the Tata Steel Chess tournament in Wijk aan Zee and the Superbet Chess Classic Romania. Remarkably, in all three classical tournaments, he won through tiebreaks, under faster time controls. In a freewheeling interview with The Indian Express, Praggnanandhaa talks about 'feeling dead' in the middle of the tournament, earning the respect of the older generation like Magnus Carlsen, and why winning the Wijk aan Zee event was crucial for his season and more. Excerpts: The UzChess Cup is the third tournament you have won this year besides ending second via tiebreaks in a 4th event. What is the secret of your success in 2025? Praggnanandhaa: I don't think there is a secret ingredient. It's just about keeping on fighting in every game. The main thing is the mental aspect. I'm much more confident and ambitious than last year. In this tournament, for example, I had to win the last two games to have any chance of winning the tournament and I was playing Arjun (Erigaisi) and Nodirbek (Abdusattorov), who are two of the strongest players right now. I still managed to win which required a lot of mental effort. I'm happy that it's showing on the board. What changed that gave you this confidence and ambition? Praggnanandhaa: Winning Wijk aan Zee was very important, it gave me a lot of confidence, especially those three wins I had (in a row) to catch (D) Gukesh in the tournament lead. I took confidence from that. This year I believe in myself; I can win tournaments. Only when you win the first tournament, you can actually show yourself that you can do it. Given how strong many Indians are, tournament organisers have to make tough calls to leave out someone. Last year, Arjun was not getting invitations. This year, we didn't see you at Norway Chess. Was this title your way of proving to the world that you're among the best? Praggnanandhaa: I don't think I'm trying to prove anything to anyone. I just like playing chess and I want to be the best at what I'm doing. You spoke about the mental aspect. But there is also a physical aspect to playing the sport, especially when you play so much Praggnanandhaa: I'm not able to work out as I would like to because of back-to-back tournaments. During the UzChess Cup, I could feel that I was not at my usual energy level, as early as round two. I was trying to save my energy by doing less prep. That helped me. That's one of the reasons why I lost two games in the middle. At some point I just couldn't play. I was completely dead at some point. Just wanted to rest. But you don't get that (luxury) in the middle of the tournament, so you keep fighting. So what does the rest of your year look like and how do you manage the finances? Praggnanandhaa: I'll be playing in Zagreb in four days. Then I'll play in Freestyle Las Vegas, then Last Chance Qualifiers for the Esports World Cup, Grand Chess Tour tournaments, mainly Sinquefield Cup. There'll also be the Grand Swiss and FIDE World Cup. It'll be a tightly-packed schedule. Thanks to the Adani Group, I've been able to manage everything, especially last year, when there was a Candidates tournament, which required a whole team and in-person camps. These things need massive financial support. Another thing is that they were always there for me during my lows, offering support. How would you compare your approach in 2024 and 2025 seasons? Praggnanandhaa: This year we did small experiments. Trying to play fast in a few games and then trying to play normally. Or trying to do more prep before games and then less prep. We did try these things to see which ones actually suited me. READ MORE | RB Ramesh explains Praggnanandhaa's 2025 success: Playing 'risky' chess, more variety of openings and more In four tournaments this year, you have fought your way through tiebreaks, winning three of them. How easy is it for you to make that adjustment at the last moment when you are playing classical, and then have to switch to a faster time control hours later? Praggnanandhaa: First of all, I don't want to win tournaments on tiebreaks. I want to win straight up. But it is so happening that I had to play three tiebreaks to win the tournaments. It is challenging to change your mindset, it is challenging to play immediately after you have just played a classical game. But you know, when you are at the board, you just have to give your best. I just realised that in all three cases, I did a different result in the final classical game. In Wijk aan Zee, I lost my last classical game and then played a tiebreak. In Bucharest, I made a draw and then a tiebreak. Here in UzChess, I won and played a tiebreak. So there were three different emotions coming into the tiebreak. At the end of the day, it's just about being calm. After Norway Chess, we heard comments from Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana that they didn't think the young generation was ready to take over yet. Caruana even said that playing against you guys was not 'scary' yet. What do you feel about that? Praggnanandhaa: When people say 'take over', it's not clear what exactly it means. Because Gukesh is the world champion. If you see, I just won three tournaments, Vincent Keymer won the Freestyle Chess event in Weissenhaus in brilliant style. Arjun crossed 2800 rating. Nodirbek (Abdusattorov) was also close in a lot of tournaments. So we have won some important tournaments where others were playing, but that doesn't mean that we are better than them. They're also very strong. I don't see them (Carlsen, Nakamura and Caruana) as players from a different generation. When I play them, I just see them as another player who's very strong. I'm not sure we should really compare generations. They are really good, Magnus has dominated everything. Fabi also is like the third highest rated player (in history). What they say, I think is true to some extent, because I don't think we are better than them. If you see as a generation, we do give equal fight and we are fighting on equal terms. But I think we are also improving. It could change in some time. When you play them, has your mindset also kind of changed? Let's say you're facing Magnus tomorrow, do you approach the game slightly differently? Praggnanandhaa: No, I don't think so. I see every player as the same. I try to prepare in a way that would suit me when I'm playing them. I think that's what everyone does. Playing Magnus is a bit more special because he's clearly the strongest player now. But if I play let's say Fabi or Arjun, I don't think it would matter. Like for me, I'm playing another strong player and I just want to give my best. In terms of my prep, let's say like one or two years back, I would still do the same (as I prepare now to face these strong players). But compared to two years back, I know I can beat these players because I've done it. So that gives me confidence. But how I approach the game still remains the same. READ MORE | Four tiebreaks, three titles: Story of Praggnanandhaa's barnstorming 2025 Do you see the senior players taking fewer risks than they were when playing you two years ago? Praggnanandhaa: Yeah, I think we have got that respect now that we are strong. We are also strong players and we can play on equal terms. For sure, they don't take massive risks as earlier but still Magnus is an exception. He does take a lot of risks against anyone. So it doesn't matter. There was this joke about Indian chess that the toughest position in chess to hang on to is India number one. What do you have to say about that since you are India number one? Praggnanandhaa: This India number one can change every game. I don't think it matters who's India number one right now. I don't think it really matters. For me more than being India number one, it's about winning this tournament that makes me happier. Of course, rating does matter. What are the chances that when the next World Championship happens, we see an Indian player competing against Gukesh? Praggnanandhaa: I'm hoping for it. I'm trying to give my best. There are a lot of strong players. You have to keep giving your best and see how it goes. We also have Arjun and Aravindh at the top. So we have good chances. Amit Kamath is Assistant Editor at The Indian Express and is based in Mumbai. ... Read More
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
R Praggnanandhaa breaks silence on Magnus Carlsen's table slam after D Gukesh loss: 'Is it a good thing? Maybe not'
R Praggnanandhaa breaks silence on Magnus Carlsen's table slam after D Gukesh loss When Magnus Carlsen slammed his fist on the table after a shocking loss to D Gukesh at the elite Norway Chess tournament, the moment went viral — a rare, raw display of frustration from a modern-day chess titan. To many, it was a sign that the young Indian brigade is finally rattling the very foundation Carlsen built. But for 19-year-old Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, the incident was something else entirely: a reminder of just how far one must go to reach that level of passion and dominance. "Yes, it was an instinctive reaction. I think it does happen to players. I've done it sometimes, but rarely," Praggnanandhaa told PTI. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "I mean, it's (me hitting the table) not as powerful as Magnus because he's a strong guy, but Gukesh has done it and many others. It's just an instinctive reaction because you're so focused that it just comes out. "But, I mean, is it a good thing? Maybe not. I don't think so because I guess it's not good. (Having said that), I think so many people got to know that something like this happened and it became such a big thing on the internet. "And, I think it's good for the game in a way because a lot of people got to know that there was such a tournament going on and that such a dramatic game happened. "So, I think there are some good things and bad things, but I think overall, chess is growing. That's what matters." "I think Magnus is still the best player in the world. There's no question about it," Praggnanandhaa added. "Every time he plays, he's the favourite. His performance — like winning 9 out of 9 in the Grand Slam Freestyle — that's something only he can do. It's just brilliant." Poll Which aspect of Praggnanandhaa's game has improved the most? Confidence Calmness under pressure Strategic thinking Yet, while Carlsen remains the benchmark, Praggnanandhaa's own rise has been just as headline-worthy. After a quiet 2024, the teenager has exploded into form this year, winning three major classical titles — the Tata Steel Masters, Superbet Classic in Bucharest, and the UzChess Cup Masters — and leapfrogging both world champion Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi to become India's highest-rated player at World No. 4. So what changed? 'I wasn't able to win as many games as I would have liked to (last year), but yeah, I'm much more confident now and much more ambitious than earlier. And, hopefully, I'll make it to the Candidates,' said Praggnanandhaa. READ ALSO: Exclusive | No Magnus Carlsen in India! Freestyle Chess event called off over lack of sponsors "I'm not sure how to answer that. But, I mean, I try to give my best in every tournament, and this year has been going my way so far." It's not just the titles, but the manner of his victories — two of them coming through nerve-wracking tie-breaks — that point to a more seasoned, composed player. Exclusive | Arjuna Awardee Vantika Agrawal: 'People still ask, 'Chess is fine, but what do you really do?'' 'I do think tie-breaks require some luck. Because there were moments where I needed them. But I think being calm also helps in such situations where you are playing for high stakes in such a short time. I do feel the tension. It's not like I don't feel it. But I'm able to play much more calmer than my opponents," he added. That measured response mirrors his approach to the Candidates race — the gateway to a world championship match. "Yes, there are different (several) spots, of course. I am currently leading (the race for a Candidates spot) but there is still a lot of fight till December. But I think, I mean, I will also be playing the Grand Swiss and the World Cup. So, if I can make it in one of those, that will be better because I don't have to wait till December," he continued. Still, he's acutely aware of the high standards set by his peers. 'But, I think, overall, we (Indians) are doing well. Gukesh winning the World Championship, his performance last year, he won gold in the Olympiad, he won the Candidates... and Arjun crossing 2800 in an exceptional last year. We are also inspiring each other," Pragg said. Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
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First Post
13 hours ago
- Sport
- First Post
'Rare gem in the chess world': Praggnanandhaa gets big welcome from Magnus Carlsen as he joins Team Liquid
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has joined Team Liquid ahead of the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh. Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura welcomed the young GM with heartfelt messages. read more Indian Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has joined Team Liquid ahead of the Esports World Cup. The announcement was made on social media on Saturday, and it has created a big buzz in the chess world. The 19-year-old from Chennai will join big names like Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, who were signed earlier this year. Team Liquid shared the news on X (formerly Twitter) with a message: 'Before chess conquered the world, it was born in India. For centuries, India has shaped the game. Now, it shapes the future. Praggnanandhaa R. carries that legacy forward — and today, he joins ours. Welcome to Team Liquid. The future of chess starts here. Pragg.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Carlsen and Nakamura welcome Pragg World No. 1 and five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen welcomed Praggnanandhaa with a funny and warm message. 'Whole lot of letters in Praggnanandhaa, but no «I». Welcome to the team,' Carlsen wrote, resharing his team's post. Whole lot of letters in Praggnanandhaa, but no «I» Welcome to the team🤝 — Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) June 28, 2025 American GM Hikaru Nakamura, who plays for Team Falcons and is the current World No. 2, also praised the young Indian. He replied to Team Liquid's post saying, 'Pragg is a rare gem in the chess world.' Massive congrats to @rpraggnachess and @TeamLiquid - Pragg is a rare gem in the chess world! — Hikaru Nakamura (@GMHikaru) June 28, 2025 Team Liquid has become one of the strongest teams in online chess with Praggnanandhaa now in the squad. Chess is set to feature in the upcoming Esports World Cup 2025, which will be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 7 July to 24 August. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Praggnanandhaa will try to qualify for the event through the Last Chance Qualifiers, where only 4 spots remain. Many big names like Ding Liren, Wesley So, Anish Giri, and Daniil Dubov are also in the race. India's Arjun Erigaisi is the only Indian who has secured a place in the Esports World Cup so far. He plays for Generation Gaming. Meanwhile, other Indian GMs like Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram are part of the Indian Esports team S8UL and are also in the race to qualify. Praggnanandhaa recently won his third title of the year at UzChess Cup Masters 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The Hindu
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Praggnanandhaa joins Magnus Carlsen at Team Liquid before Esports World Cup 2025
R. Pragnanandhaa has joined Magnus Carlsen at Team Liquid, a Dutch esports organisation, a week before the Esports World Cup begins in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Online chess is making its debut at the second edition of the Esports World Cup, and the Indian grandmaster is the third member of a team that has World No. 1 Carlsen and four-time U.S. Champion Fabiano Caruana. The announcement came a day after Praggnanandhaa won the 2nd UzChess Cup, and he becomes the third Indian in contention to secure a spot in the World Cup finals. So far, only Arjun Erigaisi (Generation Gaming) has a confirmed spot while Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram from Indian esports organisation, S8UL, will look to seal a berth in the Last Chance Qualifiers, along with Praggnanandhaa. List of confirmed chess players at Esports World Cup 2025 finals: Magnus Carlsen (Team Liquid) Fabiano Caruana (Team Liquid) Hikaru Nakamura (Team Falcons) Alireza Firouzja (Team Falcons) Arjun Erigaisi (Generation Gaming) Ian Nepomniachtchi (Aurora) Nodirbek Abdusattorov (NAVI) Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Team Vitality) Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Twisted Minds) Wei Yi (Weibo) Vladislav Artemiev (Team Spirit) Vladimir Fedoseev. 'Before chess conquered the world, it was born in India. For centuries, India has shaped the game. Now, it shapes the future. Praggnanandhaa R. carries that legacy forward — and today, he joins ours. Welcome to Team Liquid. The future of chess starts here,' the esports organisation wrote on X. This is not the first time Praggnanandhaa and Carlsen are in the same team, with the two previously featuring as teammates in Global Chess League in consecutive seasons, in 2023 and 2024.
Indian Express
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Carlsen welcomes Praggnanandhaa to Team Liquid; Nakamura hails Indian prodigy as ‘rare gem of chess world'
Norway's Magnus Carlsen and USA's Hikaru Nakamura, the top two highest-ranked players in chess, have congratulated R. Praggnanandhaa and sung the praises of the Chennai Grandmaster after he was signed by Esports Organisation Team Liquid on Saturday. The Norwegian maestro, who is also a part of Team Liquid alongside the USA's Fabiano Caruana, has welcomed the Indian. On X, he wrote, Whole lot of letters in Praggnanandhaa, but no «I» Welcome to the team🤝.' Whole lot of letters in Praggnanandhaa, but no «I» Welcome to the team🤝 — Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) June 28, 2025 The inclusion of Praggnanandhaa in the Team Liquid makes them one of the strongest Esports teams in the chess world. The World No. 2 and arguably the most famous esports athlete in chess — who has promoted this sport in the online world — Nakamura called the Indian a rare gem. Posting a reply to Team Liquid's announcement post on X, Nakamura wrote, 'Pragg is a rare gem in the chess world.' Massive congrats to @rpraggnachess and @TeamLiquid – Pragg is a rare gem in the chess world! — Hikaru Nakamura (@GMHikaru) June 28, 2025 The wave of these signings comes after chess was actively promoted as an Esports, with the traditional board game evolving itself into an online game and getting included in the upcoming Esports World Cup (EWC), set to happen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Besides Praggnanandhaa, multiple Indian stars have signed contracts with Esports organisations. Arjun Erigaisi was among the first few players in the world to sign such a contract. He signed the deal with Gen.G. Earlier, Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram also signed contracts with the Indian Esports organisation S8UL. So far, Arjun is the only player to have assured himself a spot in the Esports World Cup, which has spots for only 16 players. Both Carlsen and Caruana are also among the 12 grandmasters who have qualified. The others are Hikaru Nakamura (Team Falcons), Alireza Firouzja (Team Falcons), Ian Nepomniachtchi (Aurora), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (NAVI), Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Team Vitality), Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Twisted Minds), Wei Yi (Weibo), Vladislav Artemiev (Team Spirit), and Vladimir Fedoseev. Praggnanandhaa will represent Team Liquid for the Last Chance Qualifiers, which will see some heavy-hitters in action trying to secure one of the four remaining spots. This includes former world champion Ding Liren (LGD), Wesley So (NAVI), Oleksandr Bortnyk (NAVI), Anish Giri (Team Secret) and Daniil Dubov (Team Spirit). The Esports World Cup will be an event where the world's biggest esports clubs compete across 24 of the most popular esports titles. For the first time, the World Cup will also feature chess, which will be played online. The first edition of the Esports World Cup was held in 2024 and saw teams compete over eight weeks. The Esports World Cup 2025 is set to be the largest multi-title esports event in history, which is expected to have at least 2,000 players and 200 teams competing for a combined prize pool of $70 million (approx. Rs 602 crore). Chess was also included as an Esports at the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 in Patna.
