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R Praggnanandhaa won his first Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz title with 23.5 points, securing the championship early. He is now second in GCT standings.
R Praggnanandhaa (PTI Photo)
R Praggnanandhaa clinched his maiden Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz title in emphatic fashion, sealing the championship with a round to spare and strengthening his position in the Grand Chess Tour standings.
The 20-year-old Indian Grandmaster finished with 23.5 points, ahead of Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov on 22 and American Wesley So on 20.5. Praggnanandhaa remained unbeaten on the final day, having already taken a one-point lead over Sindarov after the rapid section.
He then lost just one game in the blitz segment and collected 11.5 points from a possible 18 to complete a memorable victory in the elite 10-player field.
The triumph lifted Praggnanandhaa to second place in the overall GCT standings and puts him in a strong position to qualify for the season-ending grand finale. He will now turn his attention to the Sinquefield Cup, the final classical event of the GCT season, which begins on August 10.
Praggnanandhaa, who won Norway Chess earlier this year ahead of Magnus Carlsen, said he was delighted with both the result and his overall level of play.
“I am super happy with the result (winning the St Louis Rapid & Blitz) and overall about the game quality. This is the first major rapid and blitz victory, so I’m really happy about it,” he wrote on X.
He also thanked his team and family for their support, while acknowledging the tight turnaround before the Sinquefield Cup.
“Next I’ll play in the Sinquefield Cup, which will start in three days. So, there is not much time to rest and it’s also the event before the GCT final. It’s going to be really exciting,” he added.
Praggnanandhaa’s chances of reaching the GCT final have also improved following Alireza Firouzja’s withdrawal from the remaining events due to scheduling issues. As per the pre-agreed rules, Firouzja’s points have been removed from the standings.
With the Sinquefield Cup carrying significant weight, Praggnanandhaa will look to maintain his form and potentially add another major achievement to an already impressive season.
August 07, 2026, 19:24 IST
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