R Praggnanandhaa scripts history as he becomes the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour
The Chennai grandmaster pulled off a stunning comeback against defending champion Fabiano Caruana in the final, ending his impressive run in 2026
R Praggnananda made history on Thursday by becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour. The Chennai grandmaster pulled off a stunning comeback against defending champion Fabiano Caruana in the final, ending his impressive run in 2026. Pragnananda was trailing Caruana by six points on the final day after a 3-9 record in the classic match. Speaking after returning to St. Louis, the Indian player admitted they didn't expect to have many chances so early in the day.
"Honestly, I didn't think I had much of a chance today. A six-point deficit is a lot. You basically need to do what I did," Praggnanandhaa said with a laugh.
"It's difficult. It's not every day you can get one win against Fabi, but to get two that was crucial in the Rapid. Mainly, what changed from last year is my Rapid and Blitz game. It's much better now, I think, and that's a massive improvement in this format."
R Praggnananda made history on Thursday by becoming the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour. The Chennai grandmaster pulled off a stunning comeback against defending champion Fabiano Caruana in the final, ending his impressive run in 2026. Pragnananda was trailing Caruana by six points on the final day after a 3-9 record in the classic match. Speaking after returning to St. Louis, the Indian players admitted they didn't expect to have many chances so early in the day.
The Grand Chess Tour title added another milestone to a year in which Pragnananda achieved multiple strong results against elite opponents. He had a disappointing second appearance in the 2026 Candidates Tournament earlier this year, but he fought back by winning Norwegian Chess twice, defeating Magnus Carlsen. He went on to win titles in the St. Louis Rapid and Blitz tournaments, and tied for first in the Sinquefield Cup. His recent wins also highlighted his progress in faster formats. “Well, it would be great to beat the challenger,” Prajnananda joked. “But winning a tournament like this is still a great accomplishment. To win a tournament like this, you have to show your true self, and I'm glad I was able to do that and fight until the end. ”
The Grand Chess Tour also became one of the most important titles on his resume.
“Winning this tournament is definitely second only to the World Championship, given the tradition and scale of this tournament. The World Championship is obviously at the top, and the Grand Chess Tour is right up there as well, " he said.
Praggnanandhaa leaves Saint Louis with the $200,000 winner\'s prize and a guaranteed place on the 2027 tour. He also finished the 2026 race with $404,354 in prize money after his victory in St. Louis and strong performance in the Sinquefield Cup.
