St Louis: Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa scripted another chapter in Indian chess history after becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour, producing a remarkable six-point comeback to defeat American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana in the final.
Praggnanandhaa entered the final day at the Saint Louis Chess Club trailing Caruana 3-9 but overturned the deficit to eventually win 15-13, securing his maiden Grand Chess Tour crown and a prize of USD 200,000.
The victory also guarantees Praggnanandhaa a place in the 2027 Grand Chess Tour alongside Caruana and American Grandmaster Wesley So.
Praggnanandhaa Overturns Six-Point Deficit Against Caruana
Caruana had taken control of the final after winning the opening classical game, while the second ended in a draw, leaving Praggnanandhaa six points behind heading into the final day.
The Indian Grandmaster, however, completely changed the contest in the rapid section.
Praggnanandhaa won both rapid games, worth four points each, to turn a 3-9 deficit into an 11-9 advantage.
“Honestly, I didn’t think I had many chances today,” Praggnanandhaa said after the match, reflecting on the scale of the comeback.
Final Blitz Game Seals Historic GCT Crown
The battle remained tight during the four blitz games.
The opening blitz encounter ended in a draw before Caruana won the second to level the overall score at 12-12. Praggnanandhaa responded by winning the third, restoring his two-point advantage.
That left Caruana needing victory in the final blitz game to keep his title hopes alive and force additional playoffs.
Praggnanandhaa instead secured the draw he needed to complete a 15-13 victory and become Grand Chess Tour champion. FIDE noted that the Indian had reached a winning position in the final game before choosing to force a draw by perpetual check, which was enough to secure the title.
Another Major 2026 Title For Praggnanandhaa
The Grand Chess Tour triumph adds to an impressive 2026 season for the Chennai Grandmaster.
Earlier this year, Praggnanandhaa won the Norway Chess title, where his campaign included victories over world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen as he emerged on top of the elite field.
Meanwhile, Wesley So secured third place in the Grand Chess Tour Finals with an 18-12 victory over Germany’s Vincent Keymer, sweeping all four blitz games.
