Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa

Viswanathan Anand believes Olympiad win will elevate women's chess in India

Overjoyed by India's remarkable dual triumph at the Chess Olympiad, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand said that while this marks a promising beginning, there is still much work to be done for women's chess in the country. India scripted history on Sunday as both its men's and women's teams secured their first-ever titles, achieving a remarkable clean sweep of gold medals at the Chess Olympiad. But while in recent times, the men's game has surged in popularity with young Indian talents like R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh making waves on the world stage, in contrast, the women's game has struggled to match this trajectory. "It's a very good beginning. I think still a long way to go because we must continuously keep progressing," Anand told PTI, at the sidelines of Tech Mahindra Global Chess League. "And more important, get more and more girls to play and I think exactly this result will inspire more girls to play, and that is the hope," he added. The 54-year-old chess icon

PM Modi hosts the Olympiad gold-winning Indian chess teams at his residence

Artificial Intelligence, an upcoming birthday, and the ambition to make India a sporting powerhouse came up for discussion when Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the Olympiad gold-winning Indian chess teams at his residence, seeking to understand their mindset in the high-pressure event. In the interaction that took place on Thursday evening, both the men's and women's teams, who won gold medals in the event for the first time ever, sat with the PM to share their experience and also ask him about his interest in sports. The men's team featured the youngest ever world championship challenger D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, P Harikrishna and captain Srinath Narayanan. The women's team was made up of R Vaishali, Tania Sachdev, D Harika, Divya Deshmukh and Vantika Agrawal. They were captained by Abhijit Kunte. Modi asked them about their sensational run during which the men's team won 21 of the 22 points on offer and the women gathered 19 from a total of 2

All games drawn in final round, Praggnanandhaa finishes joint second

R Praggnanandhaa tried hard but had to settle for a draw with David Navara of Czech Republic in the final round of Prague Masters chess tournament that concluded here on Thursday. Praggnanandhaa can take heart from the fact that he goes in to the candidates as the top rated Indian slated to be held in about four weeks from now in Toronto. It took a mammoth effort from FIDE and various channels to resolve the visa issue for the candidates but as of now everything seems to be in order for one of the biggest events of the year. With five draws happening between 10 players in the final round nothing actually changed. Abdusattarov had won the event with a round to spare clocking 6/8 and he inched up to 6.5 points for probably his career best performance. Praggnanandhaa to his credit ended on a plus score clocking five points alongside Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran and surprise packet Ngyen Thai Dai Van of Czech Republic with all three of them tallying five points out of a possible ...

Indian Olympic sports Yearender 2023: Hockey, Javelin and Satwaik-Chirag

From historic hauls in the Asian Games to smashing records in badminton and spearing throws in Javelin, here's the Indian Olympic sports round-up for 2023

Asian Games 2023: Indian men and women's chess teams clinch silver medals

The Indian men's and women's chess teams won silver medals at the Asian Games here on Saturday. GM Harika Dronavalli, IM Vaishali Rameshbabu, IM Vantika Agrawal, and WGM Savitha Shri Baskar all won their games in a dominating fashion to beat South Korea 4-0 in the final round to finish with 15 match points. The top-seeded Chinese team won its last round match against the UAE with a 4-0 margin to take the gold with 17/18 match points. The Indian men finished their campaign with a 3.5-0.5 win against the Philippines. Top seeds Arjun Erigaisi, D Gukesh, Vidit Gujrathi, and Harikrishna Pentala all won their matches against their Filipino counterparts while R Praggnanandhaa drew his game to finish second behind gold winners Iran.

Asian Games 2023: India men, women teams remain in second spot in Chess

Indian men and women's teams put up a strong show, posting convincing wins in the eighth round of the chess team competition at the Asian Games here on Friday. The men outplayed South Korea 3.5-0.5 while the women thrashed Hong Kong 4-0. After eight rounds, both the teams are in second spot with a round to play. In the India-South Korea match, D Gukesh went past Junhyeok Lee on the top board, while Praggnanandhaa got the better of Se Hyun Kwan. Arjun Erigaisi's win over In-Jung Gu came after a stiff fight with the Korean having gained an advantage before slipping up. The experienced P Harikrishna salvaged a draw against Ahn Hongjin on the fourth board from what seemed a lost position. The top-seeded men's team meets the Philippines on Saturday in the final round while Iran comes up against South Korea. In the women's match, India did not have any trouble with the quartet of D Harika, R Vaishali, Vantika Agarwal and B Savitha Shri winning easily. With none of the Hong Kong playe

Anurag Thakur felicitates FIDE World Cup runner-up Praggnanandhaa

During the felicitation, Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur congratulated Praggnanandhaa for making India proud

PM Modi meets chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa who won silver at FIDE World Cup

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa, who recently made history by clinching the silver medal in the FIDE World Cup. "Had very special visitors at 7, LKM today. Delighted to meet you, @rpragchess along with your family. You personify passion and perseverance. Your example shows how India's youth can conquer any domain. Proud of you," Modi said on X after meeting him and his parents. Praggnanandhaa earlier said, "It was a great honour to meet Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodi at his residence! Thank you sir for all the words of encouragement to me and my parents.

Chess prodigya Praggnanandhaa arrives home after winning silver in FIDE WC

Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa, who made history by clinching the silver medal in the 2023 FIDE World Cup, and entered the FIDE Candidates tournament, was accorded a rousing reception upon his arrival at the airport here on Wednesday. The officials from the state sports department received him at the airport. His fans eagerly waited at the exit gate and presented him a crown of flowers, a shawl and bouquets. Flowers were strewn on his path as he stepped out and artists performed Karagattam and Oyilattam, folk dances of Tamil Nadu, on the occasion. The teenager took his time watching the media persons swarm on either side of the vehicle into which he got into, and reacted I am very happy over the reception. He accepted the national tricolour offered to him and waved it. His mother Nagalakshmi too expressed glee over the grand reception accorded to her 18-year-old son. Indian Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa's dream run in the FIDE World Cup ended at the hands of Norwegian Magnus Carlse

Indian contingent for Asian Games: Full list of 634 Hangzhou-bound athletes

Athletics has the highest representation among Indian athletes chosen for the continental event, with 65 participants for the Asian Games Hangzhou 2023

How tech and affordable internet helped make India a chess powerhouse

From watching a game on a smartphone to playing a favourite chess opening using a database, modern tech and affordable internet have helped India produce one chess prodigy after another

PM Modi lauds Pragg for 'remarkable performance' in chess World Cup

PM Narendra Modi lauded Indian chess grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa for his remarkable performance who came second at the FIDE World Cup. World No 1 Magnus Carlsen defeated India's grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa to clinch the title of International Chess Federation World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan on Thursday."We are proud of Praggnanandhaa for his remarkable performance at the FIDE World Cup! He showcased his exceptional skills and gave a tough fight to the formidable Magnus Carlsen in the finals. This is no small feat. Wishing him the very best for his upcoming tournaments," PM Modi wrote on his X (Formerly Twitter) handle. The Norwegian chess grandmaster won the first game of the Rapid Chess tie-breaker with black pieces and managed to hold on for a draw in the second game with white pieces. The tiebreaker is played in a Rapid Chess quicker-time control format. Praggnanandhaa fought hard but fell short with Carlsen summoning all his big match experience when it mattered the most.Earlier ..

Chess World Cup Final: Praggnanandhaa and Carlsen agree to draw second game

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa drew the second classical game of the final of the FIDE World Cup against world No.1 Magnus Carlsen here on Wednesday. The two players settled for a quiet draw in 30 moves after one-and-a-half hours of play in game two. The champion will be decided in the tie-breaks on Thursday. Carlsen played a solid game with white pieces against Praggnanandhaa. The teenaged Indian did not face any troubles with black pieces, with the players agreeing to a draw after 30 moves in an equal Bishop ending. The first game on Tuesday had ended in a stalemate after over four hours of play and 70-plus moves, following which Carlsen said he was a bit under the weather. The 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa had stunned world No. 3 Fabiano Caruana on Monday via the tie-break in the semifinals to set up a summit clash with Carlsen at the World Cup. Praggnanandhaa, thus, became the third youngest player after the legendary Bobby Fischer and Carlsen to qualify for the Candidates

Chess World Cup: Anand calls current lot golden generation of Indian chess

With India producing chess Grandmasters aplenty besides setting a name for itself on the world stage, legendary Indian GM Viswanathan Anand firmly believes that the current lot happens to be a golden generation in Indian chess. His comments came at a time when the Indian players have hogged the limelight in the Chess World Cup in Baku (Azerbaijan), where young GM Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa is competing in the final against reigning world no. 1 Magnus Carlsen of Norway. Speaking to a weekly news magazine, Anand was quoted as saying that he was amazed by the fact that most of the current lot possesses a 2,700-plus Elo rating, especially below 20 years of age, terming it "special". I'm throwing in the title early, but they are a golden generation. They are all in the 2,700-plus group (Elo rating). And they're all under 20. That just does not happen; it's really something special." "And what this means, and the reason I call them the golden generation, is they're going to spend the next

Chess World Cup Final: Praggnanandhaa holds Carlsen to a draw in first game

Indian GM R Praggnanandhaa held his own against World No.1 Magnus Carlsen to secure a draw in the first classical game of the final of the FIDE World Cup chess tournament here on Tuesday. The 18-year old Indian GM was impressive against a fancied and higher rated opponent and forced a stalemate in 35 moves while playing white pieces. This means Carlsen will have the advantage of playing white in the second game of the two-match classical series on Wednesday. Praggnanandhaa had stormed into the final by shocking world No.3 Fabiano Caruana 3.5-2.5. The Indian teenager became only the second player from the country to reach the final of the World Cup after the legendary Viswanathan Anand and has already qualified for the Candidates tournament in 2024.

Mother deserves all credit for Praggnanandhaa's success: Father Rameshbabu

The glint in R Nagalakshmi's eyes and that disarming smile standing in a corner of a room while watching her son ace the battle of 64 squares has been one of the most photogenic moments of GM R Praggnanandhaa's dream run during the ongoing World Cup Chess in Baku. The 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa, who has reached the summit clash featuring legendary five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen, had none other than the iconic Gary Kasparov, acknowledging the Indian GM's mother's role, which was akin to his own playing days. The Indian sporting scenario is replete with examples of parents, who have had massive influence in shaping their children's career. Just like three and half decades back, the photograph of a young Grandmaster named Viswanthan Anand, playing chess while seated on a swing with his mother Sushila, left a lasting impression, the satisfaction that was writ large on Nagalakshmi's face after Praggnanandhaa win over Arjun Ergaisi won't be forgotten in a hurry either. "I must .

It's a special kind of support: Garry Kasparov hails Praggnanandhaa, mother

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa's incredible run in the Chess World Cup has reminded the legendary Garry Kasparov of his time as the king of 64 squares. Impressed with the teen sensation's win over world No.3 Fabiano Caruana here on Monday, the former world champion Kasparov took to Twitter, formerly X, to laud the 18-year-old's feats and his mother's efforts. "Congrats to @rpragchess and to his mother. As someone whose proud mama accompanied me to every event, it's a special kind of support! The Chennai Indian defeated two New York cowboys! He has been very tenacious in difficult positions," Kasparov tweeted. Continuing his dream run, Praggnanandhaa on Monday stunned Caruana 3.5-2.5 via the tie-break in the semifinals to set up a summit clash with world number one and five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway at the FIDE's premier event. Praggnanandhaa defeated Caruana after four rapid tiebreak games and thereafter stormed into the final of the showpiece. After the .

Defending in pressure situations is Praggnanandhaa's hallmark: India coach

R Praggnanandhaa's ability to defend seamlessly in pressure situations and the deductive mind to quickly gauge his opponent's weakness is the hallmark of a world class player, national coach GM M Shyam Sundar said on Tuesday. The Indian champion now faces the Norwegian superstar Magnus Carlsen in the final of the FIDE World Cup, one of the game's biggest events. According to GM Shyam, who is in Baku, Praggnanandhaa has an all-round game. "One of his biggest strengths is his ability to defend bad positions even against the absolute elite. His calculational abilities are excellent and he can confidently convert better positions to a win," he said. Most importantly, Praggnanandhaa is good in all formats, he reckons. "I believe that's one of the key factors that helped him reach the finals (here)! He also felt that "Pragg has very strong family support. The positive energy is definitely a bliss for him." Also, the emergence of a bunch of talented youngsters and a healthy competition

Chess World Cup: Praggnanandhaa shocks Caruana, to meet Carlsen in final

Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa stunned world No.3 Fabiano Caruana 3.5-2.5 via the tie-break in the semifinals of the FIDE World Cup chess tournament here on Monday. After the two-game classical series ended 1-1, the 18-year-old Indian prodigy outlasted the highly-rated American GM in a battle of wits in a nerve-wracking tie-breaker. Praggnanandhaa will now take on Norway's Magnus Carlsen in the final. "Pragg goes through to the final! He beats Fabiano Caruana in the tiebreak and will face Magnus Carlsen now. What a performance!," chess legend Viswanathan Anand posted on 'X', formerly Twitter.

Chess World Cup: Praggnanandhaa holds Caruana to draw forces tie-break

Teenaged Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa drew the second game of the FIDE World Cup semifinal against American GM Fabiano Caruana on Sunday to push the contest into a tie-break. The 18-year-old Praggnanandhaa tied the two-match classical series against Caruana 1-1. The two players will take part in a tie-break on Monday to decide who advances to the final against world No.1 Magnus Carlsen. Sunday's match between Praggnanandhaa and world No.3 Caruana ended in a stalemate in 47 moves. Carlsen, who had won the first game on Saturday, settled for a draw in 74 moves against Azerbaijan player Nijat Abasov to book his spot in the final. This was the first time the Norwegian superstar has made it to the World Cup final. Praggnanandhaa, teenaged chess star from Chennai, became only the second Indian ever to qualify for the semifinals of the World Cup after the legendary Viswanathan Anand and he will also feature in the Candidates tournament next year. The top three finishers in the ..