Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa clinched second place in the Superbet Rapid & Blitz tournament’s blitz section, showcasing his brilliance in the Grand Chess Tour. Despite a rocky start, his resilience and strategic prowess in the blitz format earned him 15.5 points, captivating chess fans worldwide. This commercial spotlight highlights his remarkable performance, offering insights into his journey and the tournament’s thrilling dynamics.
Praggnanandhaa Makes a Comeback in Superbet Blitz Chess
Praggnanandhaa faced early setbacks against Romania’s Deac Bogdan-Daniel and USA’s Levon Aronian. Undeterred, he bounced back with stunning victories over France’s Firouzja Alireza, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Bulgaria’s Veselin Topalov, Aravindh Chithambaram, and Romania’s David Gavrilescu. Scoring 5.5 points from nine blitz games, he played complex positions with precision. “I focused on staying aggressive and capitalizing on my opponents’ mistakes,” Praggnanandhaa said. His dynamic style shone in the five-minute games with a three-second increment, cementing his reputation as a blitz maestro.
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Fedoseev’s Lead and Tournament Standings
Slovenia’s Vladimir Fedoseev dominated with 8/9 points on the penultimate day, leading with 19 points. He holds a 3.5-point lead over Praggnanandhaa, needing just 4.5 points from the final nine games to win. “Fedoseev’s consistency is incredible, but I’m ready to fight,” Praggnanandhaa noted, per a Grand Chess Tour interview. Meanwhile, Indian GM Aravindh Chithambaram struggled, earning 3.5 points after a strong rapid section. Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave tied with Aravindh at 14.5 points, while Firouzja Alireza trailed with 14. Deac Bogdan-Daniel and Duda Jan-Krzysztof scored 13 points each, with Gavrilescu and Topalov lagging at 9 and 8 points.
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