Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa scripted history in St. Louis, clinching his maiden Grand Chess Tour title with a stunning 15โ13 comeback victory over Fabiano Caruana.
Indian grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa clinched a stunning comeback to win his maiden Grand Chess Tour title, defeating GM Fabiano Caruana 15-13 in the final match on Thursday in St. Louis. The 21-year-old made history after becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour title.
Pragg pocketed a massive USD 200,000 prize money after finishing first in the competition. The 21-year-old Indian GM is coming off a strong showcase in the 2026 Norway Chess, where he won the title.
Praggnanandhaa’s recent title wins highlight his immaculate prowess and the rise of Indian chess players in the global realm.
Pragg makes history in St. Louis
Praggnanandhaa had a wobbly start, as he held winning chances but blundered in a time scramble. While his position worsened, Caruana failed to capitalise in the first blitz game, which eventually concluded in a draw.
The Indian chess grandmaster was defeated 6-0 by Caruana in his first classical match-up, but he salvaged a draw in the second classical fixture.
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More from SportsPragg began the final day trailing Caruana by six points but staged a dramatic turnaround, winning both rapid games to seize the lead. He went on to hold the Italian-American GM for an even score in blitz before claiming the title by a final score of 15-13.
Wesley So finishes third
Filipino-American GM Wesley So also delivered a solid comeback performance to defeat GM Vincent Keymer in the third-place match.
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Both Grandmasters exchanged victories in the rapid segment, but GM So stamped his authority in blitz, sweeping all four encounters to seal the match with a game to spare and clinch an emphatic 18โ12 victory.