An ideal 12 months for Pragg
Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu overturned a six-point deficit on the ultimate day to defeat Fabiano Caruana 15-13 and win the 2026 Grand Chess Tour Finals. Caruana had taken management of the match by profitable Tuesday’s first classical recreation, whereas Wednesday’s 95-move draw left him forward 9-3. Pragg then gained each speedy video games to maneuver into an 11-9 lead earlier than scoring evenly with Caruana throughout the 4 blitz encounters to stay forward on the scoreboard.
The Indian grandmaster, currently ranked eighth in the world, earned $200,000 for first place, whereas each finalists secured automated invites to the 2027 Grand Chess Tour.
The title provides one other main success to Pragg’s 2026 season. After a comparatively modest begin to the 12 months, with 5½/13 on the Tata Metal Masters and 6/14 on the Candidates Match, his outcomes improved markedly. He shared third place on the Grand Chess Tour speedy and blitz occasion in Zagreb earlier than winning Norway Chess, the place his late surge included 4 consecutive classical victories.
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In August, Pragg won the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz after main all through all 5 days, ending 1½ factors away from Javokhir Sindarov and posting the best rating in each the speedy and blitz sections. On the Sinquefield Cup, he completed tied for first place and lost the tiebreaker for the title against Wesley So. The GCT Finals title accomplished a run that established him as the general winner of the 2026 tour.
Pragg started Thursday’s comeback with white, damaging Caruana’s pawn construction early within the recreation out of a Ragozin Defence. Though Black retained ample dynamic assets, Caruana fell more and more in need of time and Pragg finally transformed his positional stress.
Caruana nonetheless led by two factors earlier than the second speedy recreation, however that benefit disappeared when Pragg equalised comfortably with black in a Rossolimo Sicilian. Caruana’s hasty 27.e5? proved to be a critical mistake.
The Fritz Powerbook 2026 incorporates 25 tens of millions opening positions, derived from 1.7 million excessive class match video games. Along with every place all related info is saved: all strikes that had been performed within the place, by gamers of what common score, with what success and efficiency outcomes.
White finally gave up a chunk in an try and get counterplay by activating his rook. Nevertheless, the plan didn’t work, as he needed to resign shortly afterwards.
Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu | Photograph: Lennart Ootes
The primary blitz recreation was extremely unstable. Finally, Caruana reached a profitable ending, although the sport in the end resulted in a draw by repetition. Caruana levelled the general match rating within the subsequent encounter after Pragg faltered in a time scramble, conceding his first lack of the day.
Pragg regained the lead within the third blitz recreation. With solely seconds remaining, he recognized the decisive pawn break after Caruana blundered with 45…Bg5??
That left Caruana needing to win the ultimate recreation to pressure additional tiebreaks. The US star obtained promising possibilities, however an early pawn break allowed Pragg to equalise. Caruana then drifted into an inferior rook ending, the place Pragg discovered a perpetual verify to safe the draw he wanted to get what turned out to be a 15-13 victory.
Elite blitz motion on the Saint Louis Chess Membership! | Photograph: Lennart Ootes
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Wesley So congratulates the GCT Finals champion | Photograph: Lennart Ootes
The 21-year-old Indian ace posing exterior the World Chess Corridor of Fame with the winner’s trophy | Photograph: Lennart Ootes
All video games – Praggnanandhaa v. Caruana
So overpowers Keymer in blitz
Wesley So additionally got here from behind on Thursday, defeating Vincent Keymer 18-12 to complete third. Their two classical video games had each resulted in attracts, after which Keymer gained Wednesday’s bonus blitz recreation to enter the ultimate day with an 8-6 benefit. The gamers exchanged victories within the two speedy video games, however So then swept all 4 blitz encounters to drag decisively clear. Third place earned him $75,000 and, extra considerably for the next season, an automated place on the 2027 Grand Chess Tour.
So instantly reversed the match rating by profitable the primary speedy recreation, shifting two factors forward total. Keymer responded within the second speedy recreation, although solely after 122 strikes. The German star finally transformed an ending with rook, two minor items and a pawn in opposition to a queen regardless of So repeatedly creating potential stalemate tips whereas surviving virtually totally on the increment.
The Benoni household of openings has toppled world champions, determined match video games beneath the best stress, and rewarded these courageous sufficient to play them with a few of the most electrifying chess possible. On this Fritztrainer, Grandmaster Ivan Sokolov – persevering with his profitable sequence “Understanding Middlegame Buildings” – takes you deep contained in the complexities of the Color-Reversed Benoni, the Color-Reversed Benko Gambit, and the Color-Reversed Blumenfeld Gambit.
Free pattern video: Introduction
Free pattern video: Colour Reversed Banoni – Game 1
Vincent Keymer | Photograph: Lennart Ootes
The blitz part modified the course of the match. Keymer obtained a profitable place within the opener however blundered with 28…hxg2? in a pointy place, when 28…Qxg3 was the one transfer that will have maintained his benefit.
So escaped, picked up a pawn and exchanged queens earlier than changing the ensuing rook ending. He then outplayed Keymer in a queen-and-knight ending within the second blitz recreation to increase his benefit.
So settled the match within the third blitz encounter, needing solely 25 strikes.
FRITZ is greater than only a chess engine – it’s a coaching revolution! Whether or not you’re taking your first steps into the world of membership chess, or already enjoying at a match stage: with FRITZ, you possibly can practice extra effectively, intelligently and with a extra personalised strategy than ever earlier than.
This win gave So an unassailable lead with one recreation remaining. The ultimate recreation was nonetheless performed, and So gained that as effectively to finish a four-game blitz sweep and an 18-12 total victory.
Wesley So | Photograph: Lennart Ootes
