Praggnanandhaa’s Historic Victory
In a stunning display of skill, Grandmaster Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa clinched the Tata Steel Masters 2025 title. Held in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands, the tournament saw him triumph over reigning World Champion D Gukesh in a gripping final. This victory marked a significant milestone, making Praggnanandhaa the first Indian to win the title since Viswanathan Anand in 2006.
Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa’s Epic Battle
The final match between Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh was a testament to their resilience and strategic prowess. After losing the first game in the tiebreaker, Praggnanandhaa made a commendable comeback to secure a 2-1 victory. Reflecting on his journey, the Indian prodigy added, “I didn’t have a great end to 2024. So I worked hard for it (the tournament). I am happy to have such a great start to this year. Gukesh also played well. It was an exciting tiebreaker” (source: TOI).
Magnus Carlsen’s Influence on Praggnanandhaa
Praggnanandhaa acknowledged the influence of his peers’ achievements, including Magnus Carlsen, on his motivation. “Results from other Indian chess players like Gukesh winning the world championship or Arjun Erigaisi crossing 2800 (Elo rating in classical chess) inspired me to work harder”. This victory was celebrated upon his return to Chennai, where officials from the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) greeted him.
Also Read: FIDE vs Freestyle Chess: Magnus Carlsen Sparks Chess War
A Grueling Day of Chess
Praggnanandhaa described his win as a “long, crazy day” filled with eight hours of world-class performance. “It was very long, close to eight hours, the first game itself lasted like 6.5 hours and then we had this blitz, it was a crazy day,” he said. Pragg admitted to making errors but emphasized his determination to improve and succeed.
Future Plans
Looking ahead, Praggnanandhaa plans to compete at the Prague Masters. He reflected on his recent journey, saying, “I knew what went wrong in the last six months and I knew what I needed to work on. I will keep trying to get better at it”. He also expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to play and improve, alongside his peers like Gukesh.
Also Read: Viswanathan Anand Withdraws from Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Amid FIDE Tensions
