R Praggnanandhaa Wins Grand Chess Tour After Defeating Fabiano Caruana
· Sports · Indian Express, Times of India
Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa has won the Grand Chess Tour (GCT) Finals, overcoming Fabiano Caruana in a gruelling four-month, six-tournament gauntlet. In the historic 2026 GCT Finals held in Saint Louis, computer simulations had given the American defending champion a 54.9% win probability compared to Praggnanandhaa's 45.1%. Caruana seized an early advantage by winning the opening Classical match and carried that momentum into the Rapid segment after the second Classical match ended drawn. Despite the fatigue of the tour and trailing early, Praggnanandhaa fought back to claim the title. With this victory, the Indian player becomes the first Indian to win the prestigious GCT trophy and establishes himself as a versatile all-rounder across all chess formats.
Why it matters
This historic victory marks the first time an Indian player has won the Grand Chess Tour, cementing R Praggnanandhaa's status as a dominant all-format competitor on the global chess circuit.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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