The youngest Chess World Cup champion, Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, also known as Pragg, has undoubtedly captured the attention of the chess world with his extraordinary skills in the fiercely contested final against World No. 1 and eventual champion Magnus Carlsen. Scroll down to read R Praggnanandhaa Beats World Chess Champion Ding Liren.
R Praggnanandhaa Beats World Chess Champion Ding Liren
Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa has surpassed seasoned Viswanathan Anand to take the top spot in the men’s chess rankings for the first time in his career. In the fourth round of the Tata Steel Masters competition on Wednesday, Praggnanandhaa defeated Ding Liren, the current world champion from China, to reach the milestone. In the meantime, the only leader in the Masters Group going into the first rest day is Dutchman Anish Giri.
The Adani Group chairman, Gautam Adani, congratulated Praggnanandhaa on rising to the top of the Indian chess rankings.
Praggnanandhaa’s career received a significant boost earlier this month from the Adani Group, which is dedicated to helping athletes pursue their dreams of becoming world-class athletes.
Following his encounter with the young chess prodigy, Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani remarked, “We are incredibly proud to support the dynamic Praggnanandhaa. His improvement in the sport has been impressive in terms of speed and efficiency, setting a great example for all Indians. Nothing is more honorable than competing at the highest levels and serving one’s country, and the Adani Group is fully committed to helping athletes achieve this goal.”
Praggnanandhaa has also expressed gratitude to the Adani Group for believing in her ability. He said, “I have a strong desire to see my nation succeed internationally. My only goal when I play is to bring home more honors for the country.”
About Praggnanandhaa
At the age of 10, he became an international master, becoming the youngest person to hold this title. It was a fitting recognition of his extraordinary talent. Praggnanandhaa, who became the second-youngest grandmaster at that time, became a grandmaster just two years later, at the age of twelve.
He made history in 2023 by becoming the youngest chess player to ever make it to the World Cup final. Viswanathan Anand was the only other Indian to accomplish the same feat. The quiet and reserved adolescent turned heads in the chess world in 2022 when he repeatedly defeated Magnus Carlsen, highlighting India’s advancements.
After three days and four very tight chess games over two formats, Carlsen captured the FIDE World Cup for the first time. He overcame Praggnanandhaa of India in the championship match, but not before the youthful prodigy, who was only eighteen, forced him to win the tiebreaker. After the second game of the tiebreaker, Carlsen was pronounced the winner. Each of the two players had one draw.
In 2023, Praggnanandhaa from Chennai, who enjoys watching TV or listening to Tamil music, earned a silver medal in the Hangzhou Asian Games. He is passionate about mathematics.
Praggnanandhaa’s remarkable aptitude, unshakable dedication, and unceasing hard work are evident in his path from a young chess fan to the youngest-ever Chess World Cup finalist. His accomplishments have inspired great pride in his nation and established him as a role model for young chess players. Praggnanandhaa is still a great source of inspiration for many people, even as he advances in the game of chess.
