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Indian Express
an hour 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
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First Post
2 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
Praggnanandhaa achieves another historic feat after winning UzChess Cup Masters, collecting third title of year
R Praggnanandhaa prevailed over a tough field comprising compatriots Arjun Erigaisi and Aravindh Chithambaram as well as home favourites Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov in Tashkent to collect his third title of the year after Tata Steel Chess and Superbet Chess Classic Romania. read more Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa defeated Javokhir Sindarov and Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the blitz tie-breaks to win the 2025 UzChess Cup Masters in Tashkent. Image credit: X/@rpraggnachess Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa has been having quite the stellar run so far in 2025, having won the Tata Steel Chess tournament in Netherlands in February as well as Superbet Chess Classic Romania last month. On Friday, 'Pragg' added another feat to the collection – winning the UzChess Cup Masters 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. And what makes this feat even more impressive is the fact that the 19-year-old triumphed over some of the leading players in the world, including compatriots Arjun Erigaisi and Aravindh Chithambaram as well as home favourites Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov. Also part of the solid lineup were Grandmasters Ian Nepomniachtchi, Richard Rapport and Parham Maghsoodloo. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Praggnanandhaa had finished level on 5.5 points with Javokhir and Nodirbek, defeating both Uzbekistani GMs along with Arjun, who finished fourth with 5 points. All three players later finished level on two points in the first round of blitz tie-breaks. Praggnanandhaa, however, sneaked ahead in the second round of tie-breaks, where he finished with 1.5 points compared to 1 for Javokhir and 0.5 for Nodirbek. 'Wrapped up the #UzChessCup Masters with a win in the final round and wins in tie breaks. Tiebreaks were crazy indeed,' Praggnanandhaa wrote in a post on X after his victory in Tashkent. 'Grateful for all the support that I have received so far. Onto my next challenge to Croatia,' he added, referring to the SuperUnited Croatia Rapid & Blitz tournament in Zagreb which is part of the Grand Chess Tour and gets underway on 2 July. Wrapped up the #UzChessCup Masters with a win in the final round and wins in tie breaks. Tiebreaks were crazy indeed. Grateful for all the support that I have received so far. Onto my next challenge to Croatia. — Praggnanandhaa (@rpraggnachess) June 27, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Praggnanandhaa overtakes Gukesh and Arjun The joy of winning his third title of the year was made even sweeter by the fact that Praggnanandhaa has now surpassed both Gukesh and Arjun to become the top-ranked Indian on the latest live ratings. Praggnanandhaa has a live rating of 2778.3, placing him at the fourth spot ahead of reigning world champion Gukesh (2776.6) and Arjun (2775.7). The top three spots are occupied by Norwegian chess icon Magnus Carlsen (2839.2) as well as veteran American GMs Hikaru Nakamura (2807) and Fabiano Caruna (2784.2). The same, however, cannot be said of the FIDE ratings, where Arjun and Gukesh remain the only Indians inside the top five at third and fifth respectively, with Praggnanandhaa the third Indian inside the top-10 at seventh. While the FIDE ratings are updated every month, the Live ratings are updated in real time, typically within a minute after the conclusion of a game.
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First Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
D Gukesh reflects on Norway Chess campaign: 'Can't say happy, but there are some things...'
Despite starting his campaign with back-to-back defeats, reigning world champion D Gukesh bounced back in style at the 2025 Norway Chess, where he pulled off a stunning victory over Magnus Carlsen in Round 6 and was among the title contenders until the final round. read more After a series of underwhelming performances following his runner-up finish at the Tata Steel Chess, reigning world champion D Gukesh returned to form at the Norway Chess, where he was among the contenders for the trophy until the final round. Though he did not win the tournament, with world No 1 Magnus Carlsen successfully defending his title and being crowned champion for the seventh time, Gukesh highlighted the fact that he did not become world champion by accident, and that he deserved to be counted among the sport's elite. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Gukesh finished third in the tournament with a total of 14.5 points, behind Carlsen (16) and Fabiano Caruana (15.5). And the key takeaway from the tournament was his victories over Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura and Arjun Erigaisi - the world's top three players as per the latest FIDE ratings. When asked to describe his Norway Chess 2025 campaign, the Chennai lad, who turned 19 during the tournament, described it as something of a mixed bag. 'Can't say happy, but there are some things to be happy about, some things to be really unhappy about,' Gukesh said in an interview with ChessBase India. 'One thing is starting so badly and finishing so well. In the final round, I had fair chances to win. Starting with two losses in a tournament like this, it's not great. Another thing to be happy about is, in general, when I am in good form, like everything just goes very smoothly, like in Candidates, Olympiad, when I am in my best form, things just happen naturally. 'But sometimes, in tournaments when I am not feeling at my best, it goes shakily. In this tournament, clearly I was not nowhere close to my best. You don't really control your form. It just comes and goes,' he added. The teenager had arrived in Stavanger, where the tournament took place, after an underwhelming run in the Weissenhaus and Paris legs of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour as well as in Superbet Chess Classic Romania, a Classical event in Bucharest where he finished ninth out of 10 competitors. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Things got worse for him after he began his campaign in Norway with back-to-back losses, against Carlsen and Arjun. Gukesh, however, bounced back with a victory over Hikaru in the third round followed by an Armageddon win against Caruana. The highlight of his campaign, as well as of the tournament, itself, was his sixth-round victory over Carlsen , in which he forced the iconic player to resign in 62 despite facing a second consecutive defeat at one stage. It was the first time Gukesh defeated Carlsen in his career, and he became only the second Indian after R Praggnanandhaa to achieve the feat. OH MY GOD 😳🤯😲 — Norway Chess (@NorwayChess) June 1, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Despite being shaken by the defeat, which Carlsen later revealed made him feel 'washed and useless' , the Norwegian went on to win the tournament despite being held to a draw by Arjun in the final round and losing the subsequent Armageddon game. Magnus finishes second or third even on his bad days Gukesh, for one, felt that Carlsen tends to finish among the top three even on his bad days. 'One thing about Magnus is that even when he is in bad form, he finishes second or third maximum. So one thing that I can be happy about is, even though I was playing pretty badly, to be honest, I still had chances to win. I guess the thing to be unhappy about is simply that in some games, I was just misevaluating. 'For example, in many games, pretty much all the games, there were one or two big moments. But okay. That's a chess weakness. It's nice that we could notice it, because I can just work on that. Some things to be happy about, some things to be not happy about. Overall, I think it was a nice experience,' he added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Gukesh has opted for a break after the Norway Chess campaign, with his name not appearing in the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour, where he is an automatic entry for all events being the world champion.
News18
21-06-2025
- Sport
- News18
R Praggnanandhaa Overthrows World Champion D Gukesh In Live Chess Rankings; Enters Top 5
Last Updated: Praggnanandhaa is now fifth in the live FIDE Rankings with a rating of 2777.2, surpassing Gukesh. It seems as if Gukesh Dommaraju has stiff competition brewing for his throne, and it is none other than his Indian compatriot R Praggnanandhaa, who is aiming to dethrone the reigning World Champion. Pragg's steady ascent to the upper echelons of the chess world has now been exemplified with the young Indian overtaking the reigning champion Gukesh in the live FIDE Rankings. As per Praggnanandhaa currently stands fifth overall in the world with a rating of 2777.2, toppling over Gukesh, who stands at sixth with a rating of 2776.6, as of June 20. Yet, this still doesn't make Pragg India's No.1, as that honour still is bestowed upon Arjun Erigaisi, who stands tall at fourth place in the world with a rating of 2780.7. The 18-year-old from Chennai has emerged as one of India's brightest stars, steadily carving his place among the elite while carrying the weight of a chess revolution unfolding back home. Earlier this year, Praggnanandhaa joined an exclusive club, becoming only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to win the prestigious Tata Steel Chess tournament. The Indian GM has only one goal in his mind for the upcoming year: secure qualification for the 2026 Candidates to have a shot at competing for the Championship. 'This year is all about qualifying for the Candidates Tournament next year," Praggnandhaa said in an exclusive interaction with News18 Sports. Praggnanandhaa drew in the first round and then got his first win in Round 2, beating Uzbek Shamsiddin Vokhidov with the white pieces. He leads the tournament leaderboard with 1.5 points, tied with Erigaisi and others. The shift in rankings reignites the intense competitive arc between Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh.
News18
16-06-2025
- Sport
- News18
‘Magnus Carlsen Is Still a Level Above, But We're Closing In'
Last Updated: In an exclusive interview, chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa opens up on chasing Magnus Carlsen, his 2025 success, India's chess boom, and his path to the Candidates Tournament. In the increasingly crowded arena of global chess, R Praggnanandhaa stands out—not just for his youth, but for his quiet confidence and an ever-growing list of achievements that belie his age. The 18-year-old from Chennai has emerged as one of India's brightest stars, steadily carving his place among the elite while carrying the weight of a chess revolution unfolding back home. Fresh off a strong showing at the Stepan Avagyan Memorial in Armenia, where he finished tied on points with compatriot Aravindh Chidambaram, Praggnanandhaa remains unfazed by the thin margins that separate victory from second place. 'I scored +4, which is quite good in this field," he says matter-of-factly. 'In the end, I finished second because of the tiebreak, but I don't really care too much about whether it's first or second. For me, I played well and tried for first place." It's this grounded outlook that seems to fuel his steady ascent. Earlier this year, Praggnanandhaa joined an exclusive club, becoming only the second Indian after Viswanathan Anand to win the prestigious Tata Steel Chess tournament. 'Starting the year like that gave me a lot of confidence, especially after having a rough year previously," he reflects. 'That boost was much needed." Responding to Carlsen: Young Stars Are Closing the Gap But even as his personal milestones accumulate, Praggnanandhaa is acutely aware of the larger conversation in world chess, particularly following Magnus Carlsen's recent comments questioning whether anyone is ready to succeed him at the top. 'The older players have more experience for sure," Praggnanandhaa concedes, but he is quick to defend the rising generation. 'We're improving rapidly, and young players are already achieving great results. Maybe we're not completely at their level yet, but we're very close." So far in 2025, Praggnanandhaa has made a conscious shift in his approach. 'I've tried to be more ambitious and fight for that extra half point in every game," he explains. 'This year, I'm scoring more wins compared to last year when I was making too many draws. Now, I'm fighting much more than I used to." With qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament firmly in his sights, Praggnanandhaa's calendar is packed. 'This year is all about qualifying for the Candidates Tournament next year," he says. Upcoming events include the UzChess Cup in Tashkent, the Grand Chess Tour Rapid in Croatia, and the Freestyle tournament in Las Vegas—all in quick succession. 'It's a very tight schedule." Chennai's Chess Factory: Anand's Legacy and Local Competition Amidst this whirlwind, Praggnanandhaa remains both a product and a symbol of India's astonishing chess boom. 'First and foremost is Anand Sir. Without him, chess wouldn't be as big in India," he says with gratitude. 'I started playing when he was world champion, and he's always been someone I look up to." Now, having the opportunity to occasionally discuss chess directly with Anand is, for Praggnanandhaa, 'a great learning experience." India's chess ecosystem, once nascent, is now flourishing thanks to a combination of factors: frequent domestic tournaments, a wealth of academies and coaches, and strong intra-country competition. 'The competition within India itself is very strong, which prepares players well for international events," he explains. 'We have so many underrated players that even foreigners who come to play in Indian open tournaments often find it tough." Financial backing has also played a crucial role in supporting India's young grandmasters. For Praggnanandhaa, corporate support has been game-changing. 'The biggest help is that I can train with more people and have my seconds travel with me to tournaments," he says, crediting Adani [Sportsline] Group for enabling him to set up a professional team. 'All these things—training camps, seconds, and travel—are more expensive than people realize. Having a sponsor like Adani Group takes care of these aspects so I can fully focus on improving my game." Chennai, often dubbed the 'chess capital of India," continues to produce top-level players, and Praggnanandhaa offers a personal anecdote that illustrates how local heroes can inspire the next generation. 'In 2012, when Anand Sir won the world championship match against Gelfand, my school took me to the airport to welcome him. That moment inspired me a lot. Within a month of meeting him, I won the Asian U9 Championship." Family Ties: Crucial Parental and Sibling Support Family too, has been his anchor. His sister Vaishali is herself an accomplished chess player, and the two often exchange ideas despite their busy, often overlapping schedules. 'While I was playing in Armenia, my sister was playing in Norway, but we still managed to talk and share ideas whenever possible," he says with a smile. 'Of course, sometimes I steal her ideas and vice versa." Behind the scenes, the support of his parents remains foundational. 'Their support is everything. Without them, it wouldn't be possible for me to be here," he says. His mother travels with him to tournaments while his father manages things at home. 'Even when I'm away, my parents call me every day to check on me. They've always been there for me," he adds. About the Author Vineet Ramakrishnan Vineet R, an accomplished sports journalist with over 13 years of experience in digital media, currently serves as the Associate Editor - Sports at CricketNext and News18 Sports. With a specialization in More News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Chess India Magnus Carlsen R Praggnanandhaa Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 12, 2025, 12:38 IST News sports R Praggnanandhaa EXCLUSIVE | 'Magnus Carlsen Is Still a Level Above, But We're Closing In'
