R Praggnanandhaa reached the 2026 Grand Chess Tour final after beating Vincent Keymer 17-3 in the semifinal, including a 4-0 rapid sweep.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa booked his place in the Grand Chess Tour 2026 final after producing a commanding performance against Germany’s Vincent Keymer in the semifinals on Monday.
Praggnanandhaa won both rapid games against Keymer to take an already dominant match score to 17-3, becoming the first finalist at the Grand Chess Tour Finals in Saint Louis.ย He had begun the semifinal with a 9-3 victory in the classical match, before adding a clean 4-0 sweep across the two rapid games.
Four blitz games remain in the semifinal, but the result is already beyond doubt. Even a perfect score for Keymer in the remaining games would not be enough to overturn Praggnanandhaa’s lead.
The Grand Chess Tour posted on X: โPRAGG IS THE FIRST FINALIST!โ and confirmed that the Indian had secured his place in the title clash.
Who will Praggnanandhaa face in the final?
Praggnanandhaa will face the winner of the other semifinal between Wesley So and Fabiano Caruana.ย The final is scheduled for August 25.
Praggnanandhaa, So, Caruana and Keymer are the four players competing in the 2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals, which are being held from August 22 to 27.
The Indian has earned his place in the season-ending event after a strong campaign across the Grand Chess Tour circuit.
More from ChessPraggnanandhaa’s impressive Grand Chess Tour campaign
The 2026 Grand Chess Tour consists of six events: Superbet Rapid and Blitz Poland, SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz Croatia, SuperUnited? Wait. Need exact events from provided input only. Let’s avoid adding unknown exact names. Use supplied list: Super Rapid and Blitz Poland, Super Chess Classic Romania, Super Rapid and Blitz Croatia, St Louis Rapid and Blitz, Sinquefield Cup and GCT Finals. Pragg’s performances in the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz and Sinquefield Cup helped secure his berth in the final.
He was among the joint top scorers at the Sinquefield Cup, finishing with 5.5 points alongside Wesley So. His earlier victory in the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz event also contributed to his qualification for the season finale.
Now, with the final secured, Praggnanandhaa has a chance to finish the Grand Chess Tour season with the biggest prize of all.
The top three finishers at the Grand Chess Tour Finals will also earn invitations to the 2027 Grand Chess Tour.