ST LOUIS (Missouri): Indian grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu staged a stunning comeback against GM Fabiano Caruana to win the final match and claim his maiden Grand Chess Tour Finals title, along with the $2,00,000 first prize on Thursday (local time) in St.Louis. With this win, Praggnanandhaa scripted history, becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour, as per Chess.com.
The Indian grandmaster began the day six points behind Caruana but quickly turned the match around, winning both rapid games to take the lead. He then held Caruana to an even score in blitz, securing the title by a final score of 15-13.
In the first blitz game, Praggnanandhaa had winning chances, but blundered in a time scramble. His position quickly deteriorated, but Caruana failed to capitalise, and the game ultimately ended in a draw.
🔥 PRAGG STRIKES BACK!
Praggnanandhaa wins the first rapid game against Fabiano Caruana, earning 4 points and cutting Fabi’s lead to just 2 points! ⚡
The fight for the GCT Finals title is wide open again, we have one more rapid game to go before blitz! 👀#Grandchesstour… pic.twitter.com/9fe5aoGwkU— Grand Chess Tour (@GrandChessTour) August 27, 2026
GM Wesley So also staged a comeback in the third-place match against GM Vincent Keymer. The two players traded wins in the rapid portion, but So dominated the blitz, winning all four games to clinch the match with a game to spare. He finished with an 18-12 victory.
Earlier, Praggnanandhaa secured a draw in his second classical game on Wednesday, but his opponent Caruana enjoyed a six points lead. The young Indian grand master had lost his first classical game to Caruana 6-0, but managed a draw in the second classical game, 3-3.
Russian chess legend Garry Kasparov and Indian grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi congratulated R Praggnanandhaa after his Grand Chess Tour (GCT) title win.
Following the win, Kasparov, a former world champion and world number one, congratulated the Indian grandmaster, posting clapping emojis on his X handle to a post announcing him as the winner.
đź‘Źđź‘Ź https://t.co/cV6QxZI3HA
— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) August 27, 2026
Vidit also posted on X, saying that he “could sense Pragg changing his style over the past two years”. “Incredible achievement! Amazing performance for the last couple of months. But the seeds were sown much earlier, I could sense Pragg changing his style over the past 2 years. Initially it wasn’t easy, but now we can see the results!,” posted Vidit.
Incredible achievement! Amazing performance for the last couple of months.
But the seeds were sown much earlier, I could sense Pragg changing his style over the past 2 years. Initially it wasn’t easy, but now we can see the results! https://t.co/8Ac948UxVi
— Vidit Gujrathi (@viditchess) August 28, 2026
The Grand Chess Tour 2026 is a six-tournament affair, consisting of Super Rapid and Blitz Poland, Super Chess Classic Romania, Super Rapid and Blitz Croatia, St Louis Rapid and Blitz, Sinquefield Cup and finally the Grand Chess Tour Finals.
The Indian Grandmaster was the leading point-getter in the Sinquefield Cup alongside the US’s Wesley So, with 5.5 each. Praggnanandhaa’s excellent performances in the Sinquefield Cup and the win in the Saint Louis Rapid and Blitz competition earned him a spot in the GCT Finals. (ANI)
