A stunning performance in the FIDE World Cup in Baku has catapulted him to the Candidates tournament to determine the challenger to current world champion Ding Liren. He could not win the World Cup but his stellar giant-killing show brought chess on the front page of national dailies, adding to the popularity of the game that is followed keenly only in a few states in India.
By becoming the only Indian player after Anand to book a spot in the Candidates, the Chennai teenager has proved that he will be the name to reckon with when it comes to big-ticket chess events. A wonderkid, who took up the sport at the age of four-and-a-half, Praggnanandhaa has achieved several firsts in his distinguished career thus far
After coming under the wings of Anand, who has taken to mentorship like a duck to water, the rise has been steady for Praggnanandhaa. By beating Magnus Carlsen, the world No.1 and former classical champion in an online tournament last year, Praggnanandhaa showed that he could soak in the pressure and defeat the best in the business at their own game
Though questions remain on his ability in the classical format, the teenaged GM has shown that he has it in him to be in the big league. Hailing from Chennai, the hotspot of Indian chess, Praggnanandhaa has been in the spotlight since he made waves at a young age. He won the national under-7 title to lay down the marker and has been on the rise ever since. At 10, he was an International Master and two years later, he became a GM
In 2022, his stock rose further when he stunned Carlsen in the Airthings Masters rapid tournament. He became only the third Indian after Anand and P Harikrishna to win a game against the seemingly unbeatable Carlsen. Praggnanandhaa's calm demeanour when at the table hides a confident and aggressive player. He can be quite a formidable opponent when he sits across the table for a game
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