Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa moved a step closer to qualifying for the Grand Chess Tour Finals after finishing at the top of the rapid standings at the St. Louis Rapid & Blitz tournament.ย
The 20-year-old collected 12 points from a possible 18 in the nine-round rapid section to emerge as the leader despite suffering his only defeat in the final round. The loss came against Dutch Grandmaster Jorden van Foreest, but it was not enough to dislodge Praggnanandhaa from the top of the standings.
Notably, the Indian entered the last rapid round unbeaten after putting together four victories and four draws. Although he missed the opportunity to extend his advantage with a win in the closing game, he still finished one point clear of Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov, who occupies second place on 11 points. American Grandmaster Wesley So is third with 10 points.
Attention now shifts to the blitz section, where the tournament champion will be decided across 18 games. Unlike the rapid format, where each victory is worth two points, blitz wins carry one point each, leaving the title race wide open despite Praggnanandhaa’s lead.
Praggnanandhaโs toughest challengers in blitz
The Indian will begin the final stage knowing that even a slender advantage could prove valuable, but he faces stiff competition from several established names. Sindarov remains his closest challenger, while So is still within striking distance heading into the faster format.
A group consisting of Levon Aronian, Anish Giri, Leinier Dominguez Perez and Vincent Keymer are tied on nine points and remain capable of climbing the standings during the blitz rounds. Among them, Keymer is considered particularly dangerous in blitz chess and could emerge as a serious contender with a strong run of results.
Beyond the race for the tournament title, the event carries additional significance for Praggnanandhaa. A high finish in St. Louis would considerably improve his prospects of securing a place in the Grand Chess Tour Finals later this year. The tournament also features a prize pool of USD 200,000, with USD 50,000 reserved for the champion.
Following the conclusion of the rapid and blitz event, the players will remain in St. Louis for the Sinquefield Cup, the final classical tournament of this year’s Grand Chess Tour calendar. Before that, however, Praggnanandhaa’s immediate focus will be on protecting his advantage and converting a strong rapid performance into the overall title.
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