India GM Praggnanandhaa beats Javokhir Sindarov at Sinquefield Cup
Missouri, August 12
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa continued his impressive run at the Sinquefield Cup, defeating World Championship challenger Javokhir Sindarov in the second round to move into a share of the early lead, according to ESPN.
Praggnanandhaa secured the victory after a marathon encounter that remained largely balanced for most of the game. However, Sindarov blundered on the 82nd move, allowing the Indian to find a series of accurate responses before the Uzbek player resigned 13 moves later.
With the win, Praggnanandhaa has collected 1.5 points from two rounds and is tied at the top of the standings with Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
Meanwhile, Indian players endured a difficult second round at the Cairns Cup in St. Louis, with R Vaishali, Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy managing just half a point between them, according to ESPN.
Vaishali drew against Bibisara Assaubayeva, while Divya suffered a defeat against Alice Lee and Humpy went down to Tan Zhongyi.
Vaishali and Humpy have 0.5 points each after two rounds, while Divya has one point. Zhongyi and Lee lead the standings with two wins from as many rounds.
Earlier this month, Praggnanandhaa secured the Grand Chess Tour St Louis Rapid and Blitz title. The 20-year-old drew against Javokhir Sindarov during the penultimate round to seal the tournament with a score of 23/35 points, finishing 1.5 points ahead of everyone else.
In June, the Indian Grandmaster scripted history by claiming the Norway Chess 2026 crown in Oslo after defeating Germany's Vincent Keymer in the tenth and final round. The victory completed a remarkable late surge by the Indian star, who registered four consecutive classical wins to secure one of the biggest titles of his career.
Following this, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday felicitated the Indian Grandmaster and presented him with a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh on behalf of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. The felicitation ceremony was held at the Chief Secretariat in Chennai, where the Chief Minister also played a game of chess with the 20-year-old Grandmaster.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The patience in that 82nd move blunder by Sindarov shows how mentally tough Praggu is. He waited for the right moment and capitalized. This is what separates great players from good ones. Also commendable that Tamil Nadu CM felicitated him with Rs 50 lakh - our states should support young talent like this more often!
Impressive consistency from Praggnanandhaa. Winning the St Louis Rapid and Blitz and then coming back strong in the Sinquefield Cup shows real mental fortitude. The Indian chess ecosystem is clearly producing world-class talent.
While celebrating Praggu's success, we shouldn't overlook the struggles of our women players at the Cairns Cup. Humpy and Vaishali are legends but even they have tough days. Hopefully they bounce back in the next rounds - we're all rooting for them! 💪
It's wonderful to see our players getting recognition. The Rs 50 lakh reward from the Tamil Nadu government is a step in the right direction, but honestly, we need more systematic support - better training facilities, sponsorships, and exposure for young talents from smaller towns. The Anands and Praggus inspire many, but the grassroots need more investment.
Watching Praggnanandhaa's journey from a child prodigy to beating world championship challengers is so inspiring! And to think he won Norway Chess 2026 just recently - his rapid rise is phenomenal. Indian chess is in safe hands with the next generation. 🎉
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