Praggnanandhaa scripts history as first Indian to win Grand Chess Tour

R Praggnanandhaa completed a stunning comeback against Fabiano Caruana to become the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour. The historic triumph capped a remarkable 2026 campaign for the Chennai Grandmaster.Praggnanandhaa finished 2026 with $404,354 in Grand Chess Tour prize money.. (Image: PTI)R Praggnanandhaa scripted history on Thursday by becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour. The Chennai Grandmaster produced a stunning comeback against defending champion Fabiano Caruana in the final to cap a remarkable run in 2026.Praggnanandhaa went into the final day six points behind Caruana after the Classical games, trailing 3-9. Speaking after completing the comeback in Saint Louis, the Indian admitted he had not expected to have much of a chance at the start of the day."Honestly, I didn't think I had much of a chance today. A six-point deficit is a lot. You basically need to do what I did," Praggnanandhaa said with a laugh. "It's difficult. It's not every day you can get one win against Fabi, but to get two that was crucial in the Rapid. Mainly, what changed from last year is my Rapid and Blitz game. It's much better now, I think, and that's a massive improvement in this format."The Indian turned the contest around by winning both Rapid games to move 11-9 ahead. Caruana responded by taking the second Blitz game after the first ended in a draw, bringing the score level at 12-12, but Praggnanandhaa immediately restored his advantage by winning the third Blitz game. Needing only a draw in the final encounter, he secured the required result through a threefold repetition despite having a winning position. Across the six games between the two finalists, Praggnanandhaa won three, drew two and lost one.PRAGGNANANDHAA'S REMARKABLE 2026 CAMPAIGNThe Grand Chess Tour title adds another landmark to a year in which Praggnanandhaa has repeatedly delivered against elite opposition. He had endured a disappointing second appearance at the 2026 Candidates earlier in the year, but responded by winning Norway Chess, where he defeated Magnus Carlsen twice.He followed that with a title-winning campaign at the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz before sharing first place in the Sinquefield Cup. His latest triumph also underlined the improvement he has made in the faster formats."Yeah, it would have been nice to win the Candidates," Praggnanandhaa joked. "But winning a tournament like this is still a great achievement. You have to show a lot of character to come out on top in such an event, and I'm happy that I managed to do that and fight till the very end."The Grand Chess Tour has also become one of the most significant titles on his rsum."Winning this is certainly second only to the World Championship, given the tradition and the stature of the event. The World Championship is obviously at the top, and the Grand Chess Tour is right up there as well," he said.Praggnanandhaa leaves Saint Louis with the $200,000 winner's prize and a guaranteed place on the 2027 tour. He also finished the 2026 circuit with $404,354 in prize money after his wins in Saint Louis and his strong Sinquefield Cup showing.After almost a month of continuous chess in Saint Louis, his next assignment is already on the horizon. Praggnanandhaa is part of India's squad for the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from September 16 to 27, where the defending champions will begin their title defence.- EndsPublished By: Debodinna ChakrabortyPublished On: Aug 28, 2026 07:40 IST