Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa secured the Grand Chess Tour St Louis Rapid and Blitz title on Friday, adding another prestigious trophy to his growing list of international successes.
The 20-year-old drew his penultimate game against Javokhir Sindarov to take an unassailable lead on 23 out of 35 points, finishing 1.5 points clear of the rest of the field with a round to spare. The triumph marks his first victory in a Rapid and Blitz event on the tour, sparking widespread celebrations among Indian chess fans in the early hours of the morning.
The St Louis victory follows a landmark achievement in June, when Praggnanandhaa claimed the Norway Chess 2026 title in Oslo. He secured that victory with a compelling late run, winning four consecutive classical matches and defeating Germany's Vincent Keymer in the final round to wrap up one of the biggest titles of his career.
His achievements have drawn praise at home, where Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay recently felicitated the Grandmaster at the Chief Secretariat in Chennai. During the ceremony, the Chief Minister presented him with a state reward of Rs 50 lakh from the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu and sat down with the young champion for a game of chess.
Also read: Pragg in joint lead after Round 3 at Zagreb Grand Chess Tour
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